The Silent Promise
by Raven Thornheart
Summary: Two years have passed since Sasuke left the village. Naruto has grown and so has the relationship between him and Sakura. Suddenly two unknown ninja's appear in the village and bring with them deadly troubles...IN EDITING
1. Sakura's Feelings For Naruto

The sun rose over the sleeping village of Konoha on another beautiful morning. Birds sing their songs and people awoke to start their busy usual day. Another day in the hidden leaf village as it seems...

Light slipped it's way through Naruto's window shade and the slivers of warm light beamed on him. He is awoke from the warmth on his face, fluttering his blue tired eyes. He sat up with a streatch and long yawn after a peaceful night of sleep, one that he needed with all the training he had been putting himself through.

_"Isn't today the day Kakashi comes back from his mission?" _He thought to himself and realized that it was. He was excited to see his teacher and show off his improved skills, which only made the day seem a lot more cheerful.

Naruto slipped out of bed and headed to his bathroom to freshen himself up for the long day ahead of him. He slipped out of his puppy PJs and turned on the hot water for his shower. He stepped in and as soon as the water hit him, his mind began to wonder into a mediative state. _"It's been two years since you left...Sasuke." _He thought to himself. _"I wish things could go back to the way they were before you left." _He sighed deeply as he shook the thoughts of Sasuke out of his head.

He turned off the water after a ten minute shower and stepped out grabbing a towel that he would wrap around his waist before making his way toward the kitchen. He turned toward his kitchen area and was suprised to see Sakura with her back turned to him, as she seemed to be cooking something. Sakura looked over her shoulder at him and saw him in his towel and quickly turned her head back around, blushing in the process. Two years ago she would have scolded Naruto for looking that way in front of her, but things changed between them during the times Sasuke left. They became better friends and Naruto finally understood Sakura better and vicea versa. Still Sakura held strong feelings toward Naruto...

"Sorry!" She said with embarassment in her voice. "I should have knocked instead of letting myself in!" She saw how Naruto cared for her, even with the fact that he can sometimes be hard headed. She always thought she would go for the quiet smart boys, but found herself falling for a numbskull badass with a head full of dreams and a heart full of pride. "I thought that I would make you something to eat!" She said with a smile as she continued to prepare the food. _"It's such a beautiful morning..." _She thought as she peered out the window.

Naruto moved over to his bed on the opposite end of the room behind Sakura. "Thanks Sakura-chan." He said as he took his towel off. "I'm going to change, so don't turn around unless you wanna see something you don't wanna see."

Sakura's cheeks redend even more with blush. Two years of hard training and maturing made Naruto something special in her eyes. His body wasn't that of a skinny little blonde idiot. It was now lean and cut. His hair was getting longer and more spikier and his eyes seemed to glow with desire to become great. And there she was, standing with her back turned to a naked Naruto and she thought to herself to turn and ask him what he said as if she didn't hear him, just so she could catch a look of his whole anatomy, but she pushed the thought away and continued her task in front of her. "So...I heard that Kakashi-Sensi was coming back from a mission today." She said, trying to strike up a conversation.

Naruto, who was pulling up his pants looked at her. "Yeah! Finally! Maybe he could train me some more before he takes another mission!" Kakashi never had time to train Naruto anymore. Sure Jiraiya is a great teacher, but Kakashi made things seem impossible. Naruto loved it, because it presented him with a challenge that he knew would be hard from him to overcome. He slipped on his black t-shirt and looked at Sakura. "You can look now if you want, Sakura-chan."

Sakura turned and looked at him. Her eyes ate up the visual image of him, even when he was in clothing. He took her breath away and he didn't even know it. She re-focused herself. "Your food is ready!" She said with a smile. She never thought that she would see the day she would love to please him.

Naruto's nose caught the smell of the wonderful cooking before his eyes. His stomach sqeezed. "Mmmm...smells great Sakura-chan!" He said happily as he walked over and fixed himself a plate. She had made him a hefty meal of French toast, sasuage, fried patato slices, and scrambled eggs. He sat down at his table with his full plate. "Itadakimasu!" He yelled before he dug into his food.

Sakura felt her heart warm up as she watched him eat her food with delight. She made herself a plate and set it on the table across from Naruto, then grabbed two glasses and set them on the table. She got some of Naruto's milk and checked the experation date on it, seeing that Naruto has a bad habit of keeping spoiled milk. It was fine and she poured milk into the two glasses and slid Naruto his glass. "Here you go Naruto-kun...Oh!" She covered her mouth in amazement that she called him 'Naruto-kun'.

Naruto looked up at her with a confused look on his face, but quickly disregarded what was said after he laid eyes on the glass of milk. "Thanks again, Sakura-chan!" He drank some of the milk to wash down the wonderful food. He looked at Sakura, who was eating her food bit by bit. "Don't you have training with Granny Tsundae today?"

Sakura looked up at him. She used to get mad at Naruto for calling her that, but she is used to it now. Her mind nearly floated off into the thoughts of how cute Naruto is, until she caught herself. "Uh...yeah! I do..." She looked off to the side some. "More surgical training and things like that." She looked at the clock. "Oh my! It's 7:30 already! I have to leave soon!" She ate what she could and walked over to the sink with her plate to wash it.

"Well have a nice day then Sakura-chan!" Naruto said with his mouth half full. Even after two years of training, he still couldn't get table manners right.

_"I will now since you told me to, Naruto-kun..."_ She thought to herself with joy. She finished the plate and headed to the door. She looked back at Naruto with a smile. "Drop by the hospital sometime and visit, okay?"

"Sure!" Naruto replied as he waved with a smile. "I'll see you later Sakura-chan!"

Sakura waved back. God it drove her insane at how cute Naruto is. She hated herself for awhile because of how she use to treat him in the past, but she can always treat him better for the future. She walked out the door and started her walk toward the hospital.

XXXX

Outside the gates of Konoha, Kakashi, Genma and Aoba landed on the ground. They felt the welcoming breeze pass by them as their ears picked up the sound of the village coming to life with people on the streets and vendors yelling their goods out to passing customers. All in all, it felt good to be back home to the three of them from a long mission.

"Home sweet home." Genma said as he looked at the gates. He played with the senbon in his mouth as he looked to Aoba. "So what are your plans for today Aoba?" He asked.

Aoba looked at him and adjusted his glasses. "I'm not really sure. I was thinking about going to a resturant or something later."

"We can all talk about our future plans later..." Kakashi interupted the conversation between the two Jonin. "First we report to the hokage for our mission debrifing. After that, you guys can do what you want." Kakashi hasn't changed one bit in two years. His only real change is that he took on lots of class A missions and ANBU missions. "Let's move."

"Yes!" Genma and Aoba said as all three of them disappeared in a flash into the village.

XXXX

A ways from the village a ninja holding another wounded ninja on his back peered over Konoha as he stood on a cliff. He felt his fellow shinobi's warm blood on his back and her breathing becoming more and more shallow. "We are almost there..." He said as he leapt from the cliff side toward the forest.

"We've made it this far...please don't die now..."


	2. The Ninja From A Feared Village

Naruto, Naruto, Naruto...

That's all Sakura could think about as she made her way to the hospital. How cute he's become and so much more of a man he has become as well. _"Well...He does still act like a child sometimes..."_ She thought as she walked into the hospital, but her thoughts were forced to the side from the annoying smell of sanitation. Sure it was a good thing for everything to be clean in the hospital, but the smell was irritable. She walked up to the front desk to check in. "Good Morning!" She said with a friendly wave to the nurse at the desk.

The nurse looked up at her with a smile. "It sure is nice to see your cheerful face in the morning Sakura." She said warmly. "I'll check you in dear. Tsunade-sama is down the hall and to the left, room 303." She told Sakura as she checked her in.

Sakura bowed. "Thank you!" She said cheerfully as she turned and made her way down the hall. "Another boring day of medical practices. I want to go on a mission sometime..." She blushed at the open comment. _"That is so something Naruto would say." _She thought to herself as she turned the corner and entered the room on the left side of the hall. She looked over to Tsunade who was reading medical books. "Good morning Hokage-sama." She said politely.

Tsunade drew away from the book and closed it on the table in front of her as she looked to Sakura. "And good morning to you Sakura. Are you ready for surgical practice?" She asked as she stood up and pulled out a box of surgical tools.

Sakura hated doing surgury even with being one of the top Chuunin medic nins, she couldn't stand slicing someone open and seeing all the blood, but she wanted to prove herself to everyone that she isn't weak. "Yes Hokage-sama." She said with confidence. Sakura had spent the last two years training under Tsunade in Taijutsu and medical treatment in the field. Sakura's strength has quad-drupled from two years before and her knowledge of the human anotomy made her a dangerous foe for some. She still yet lacked expericence in the field where if could mean life or death for a person if she didn't heal them correctly and under the pressure of being wounded or killed herself, but her will is strong and Tsunade admires that in Sakura.

"Well alright then!" Tsunade said cheerfully. "Today's situation will be a critical and very decisive one..." Tsunade's face turned serious to put pressure on Sakura. "You will have to figure out the injury of a fallen comrade, heal that injury, while fighting against an enemy." She noticed Sakura's facial expression turn serious. This was good concidering that most female medic nins would get nervous.

"Determine the injury, heal it properly, while fending off an enemy...this is going to be tough." She thought to herself. Two years ago she would have been screaming her head off hearing that she had to do something like this, but after watching Naruto...she seemed to pick up his habit of loving challenges. She sees why he loves challenges now. To beat something that seems more powerful or skilled that you are shows others that you aren't weak and worthless. Sakura clenched her fist and determination could be seen in her eyes. She wasn't about to lose this one.

XXXX

A little ways from the hospital, in the Hokage office, Shizune filed papers away while approving missions. She looked at Tsunade's desk and re-organized the messy papers that had been piling up for a week now. _"It's been alittle over two years since Tsunade-sama was named Hokage and she still hasn't gotten the hang of organization!" _Shizune thought to herself. She looked up as Kakashi appeared with Aoba and Genma.

Kakashi looked around trying to see if Tsunade was anywhere to be found. "I guess Tsunade-sama isn't in..." He said calmly as he looked to Shizune.

"No, she's at the hospital training Sakura again. Are you here to report your mission status Kakashi?" She asked as she looked at the three.

"Yes..." Kakashi said as he stepped forward pulling out a scroll and placing it on the desk. "Mission to protect Mr. Yanimina and his family complete without any problems." He put his hands in his pocket as he watched Shizune write some notes down and file them with the scroll.

"And..." Shizune pulled out 15,000 worth of money and set three stacks of 5,000 on the table infront of Kakashi. "5,000 per person for your mission well done." She turned and started filing more papers.

Aoba and Genma took their money as Genma looked at Kakashi. "Hey Kakashi, you wanna hang out tonight? Maybe head to the bar and kick back some?"He asked.

"Maybe...I'll try to make it." He replied without looking at him. Kakashi kept looking at the money on the desk.

"...Okay then...Later." Genma left out with Aoba, hearing them chatter as they left and faded away.

Kakashi then looked up to Shizune. "Shizune..." He said as shizune turned to him in question to why he was still there. "Are there anymore A rank missions or ANBU missions that I can do?'' Kakashi wanted more, he felt like he hasn't truely risked his life. In a sense questioning his path as a shinobi.

"Kakashi...we do, but I am not going to permit you to carry out anymore missions." She said with seriousness in her voice. Shizune was able to get to know Kakashi more for the time shes been in Konoha. She cared about him more than he knew and she had been seeing him jump headstrong into some of the most dangerous missions. "In the past month you have done ten Rank A Missions and seven ANBU Missions."

"And I have completed all of those missions and came back perfectly fine. Why are you stopping me now?" He asked. He didn't need to ask that question, because he already knew the answer. He took on some of the most dangerous missions almost a year ago after he found himself crying infront of the memorial stone. He wasted his life away thinking about the past and wanted to punish himself for not being able to save his friends.

"Because Kakashi...you need sometime to relax. You are like a ghost in this village now...You come and leave again on another mission. I understand that you are helping us with all the money you bring in from the missions, but I cannot let you destory yourself Kakashi." She looked into his visible eye. She could see his pain, even though Kakashi tried his best to hide it, she could still see it. "Please Kakashi...go home and relax. Look...I'll take you out on a date tonight. My treat!" She said perking up some.

"A date?" He looked at her confused. _"When did Shizune start caring this much about me?" _Kakashi thought to himself. "Well...alright..." He said hesitently. This is the first time he had ever really been on a date, but he could just see it as a friendly outting.

"Great! It's a date then!" Shizune felt happy that she could help out one of her best friends. She hasn't had many because of all the time she must spent with Tsunade, pushing her to do some work of her own and what not, but she wanted to make this a night that Kakashi would be happy about when he looks back on it. Hell, they both deserved a break.

XXXX

At the gates of the village, the unknown ninja arrived carrying one of his own on his back. "This is it...Konoha village." He rushed through the front gates, only to be stopped by two Jonin. The two Jonins were called Tetsu Konton and Mizu Kakou. Konton stood a towering 6'5 and had a bulky build to him. The ninja knew he was all power with the way his body was shaped. Konton wore his Jonin outfit with a Iron senbon in his mouth. Kakou stood at 5'10, slender and built for speed, he was wearing his normal Jonin outfit.

"What business do you have here? Do you have a pass?'' Konton demanded as he tried his best to see under the ninjas hood but the shadow covering the boys face was too dark to make out anything.

"I'm here to save my sister here." The ninja replied in a monotone voice. He didn't have time to waste, every second brought his sister close to her end. "And right now she needs treatment or else she'll..."

"It's forbidden to enter a hidden village without permission. I don't care if your sister is dying or not." Kakou ordered, cutting the ninja off. "You should know the ways of the hidden villages." People started to stop and gather to see the conflicting parties at the gate.

"I guess that I will have to use force then..." The unknown ninja said as he sat his sister down leaning her up against a telephone pole gently. He looked at her and saw that she didn't have much strength left in her body. "I will make this quick...I promise." He said to her as he rubbed her cheek, her hood still darkening her face.

"Force?" Konton questioned with a laugh. "Boy...I am a Konoha Jonin along with Kakou here...you'll be joining your sister if you face us!" He pulled out a ball of iron and forced his chakara into it. The iron ball melted and formed around his hands, making them solid iron fists.

Kakou pulled out his katana and stood in his ready stance. "You may want to reconsider this one, boy...you can't defeat us." His eyes are locked onto the ninja.

The ninja stood and turned to them. "Well then...let's see how two of Konoha's best face off against a Jonin from a hidden village that was claimed to be destoryed... " He pulled down his hood to reveal his face. He was a boy in his late teens with black spikey bangs and black shadowy eyes. He stood off against the two Jonins as the wind blew by them.

The battle was set to begin...


	3. Leaf Jonin Vs Unknown Ninja

The people in the town backed up as the unknown ninja faced the two Jonins. The situation became tense, real fast as he had to hurry, or else his sister wouldn't make it in time. He came too far to see her die now...

He formed the Ryo (Dragon) and the Hebi (Serpent) hand seals. "Kage Kirite no Jutsu!" he chanted out as wind blew behind him and toward Konton.

Konton saw the attack at the last second and blocked what seems like invisible shuriken. They hit with decent force, almost decapitating if the attack would have landed. He looked at the back hand of his iron casted fist and was suprised to see the deep gash in the iron. He looked up back at the ninja. "Kage Kirite no Jutsu...the Shadow Cutter Technique. Using chakra as shuriken's...impressive..." _"...But for someone so young to master such incredible chakra control is amazing. This might be harder than we expected..." _Konton thought to himself as he prepared to attack.

But Kokou was already molding chakra. "I've got no time for petty games with the likes of you!" He quickly formed the Uma (Horse) and Hebi (Serpent) seals and breathed in gathering chakra in his mouth. "Suiton: Kaihoudon! (Water Release: Pressure Cannon)" He chants out as he spewed out a high pressured stream of water at the ninja. It was a high class technique that few could do in the hidden leaf.

The ninja saw this ninjtsu and formed the Uma (Horse), Ryo (Dragon) and Tora (Tiger) seals. He breathed in deeply as well gathering chakra in his lungs. "Katon: Karyu Endan! (Fire Release: Fire Dragon Flame Bullet)" He chanted out as he shot a incredibly hot stream of fire at the water. The ninja's fire slowly took over Kokou's Suiton: Kaihoudon. Kokou tries his best to fight back, but he couldn't match up with the ninja's incredible chakra. He stopped his technique as he needed to regain himself, but the fire still came at Kokou and Konton.

Konton quickly formed the O-hitsuji (Ram) and O-ushi (Ox) seals. "Sugoi Tetsu Kabe! (Great Iron Wall)" He chanted out as he slammed his hand to the ground. A twenty foot iron wall shot up from the ground in front of the two Jonin blocking them from the fire_. "This isn't any ordinary guy..." _He thought to himself. His eyes grew wide as he noticed that the ninja's fire turned white hot and was melting the iron wall. Both ninjas could feel the heat turning up from the other side of the wall. "T-this guy...!" He had run dry of ideas as he looked to Kokou.

Kokou finally caught enough breath to perform another ninjutsu technique. "I have to keep the wall cool!" He said as he breathed in again, firing another pressure shot at the back of the wall trying his best to keep it from melting, but the ninja's fire was too great. It slowly melted through the five foot thick iron and petruded through the otherside and was evaporating the water with ease. _"Where is some back up!"_ Kokou thought to himself. He couldn't hold on much longer against the deadly fire.

"Stop!" A voice called from the rooftops right above the battle. The ninja stopped his attack and looked up. The two Jonins peered up as well.

"Shizune!" They called out in relief.

She looked down at the mysterious ninja. She could feel his amazing powers from where she was standing. _"Some powerful chakra that boy has..." _She thought to herself as she jumped down to meet the ninja face to face. "Who are you and what is your reason for coming here?" She asked before she saw the injured ninja out from the corner of her eye, but kept her focus on the ninja in front of her. She shivered at the look in his eyes. They were cold...almost lifeless.

"My name is Raven. I am here because me and my sister were attacked on our journey to the hidden sand. She needs medical treatment ASAP." He looked into Shizune's eyes. He had wasted enough time and needed her help.

Shizune walked over to the wounded ninja and checked her wounds. "Kunai stab wounds...burns...my god she should be dead." She thought to herself as she began to heal the wounds. "This will only do so much for now..." She looked back at Raven. "If you may, please follow me to the hospital with her." She stood up, looking at the female ninja as Raven picked her up gently into his arms. _"Even with that cold feel to him, he cares for her..." _She turned and lead him toward the hospital.

Raven followed her with his sister in his arms as he caught the stunned looks from the two Jonin he faced from the corner of his eye and the fearful looks of the villagers who witnessed the battle. "Everything will be just fine now..." He said as he looked down on his sister.

Kokou looked at Konton and back at Raven as he walked off. "That isn't any ordinary kid..." He said in amazement.

"Yeah..." Konton added with a lack of words.

XXXX

Elsewhere...

Kakashi sat infront of the memorial as he had done many times before in the past. He fought back his tears of regret as he hated himself for not being able to save his friends. He felt that he must suffer for them to be happy, in some way to pay for his sins. "Thanks for caring...but I'm alright, Gai." He said without looking back at his rival who had been watching him.

"It's been awhile since we talked Kakashi. You don't even seem like a rival anymore." Gai said seriously insted of his self-centered tone. "I can tell you are stuck in the past."

"I've been stuck in the past Gai." Kakashi responded. "Not to sound concited, but I don't think Sasuke and Naruto would be as good as they are without me." He closed his eyes and lowered his head. "I understood them both perfectly. To be hated by alot of people and trying to be acknowledged by everyone and the pain of losing people that are important to you."

"This isn't the Kakashi I once knew..." Gai grew even more serious. "This isn't my rival that is sulking in the past!" He yelled as Kakashi turned to him, suprised at the anger in his voice...he never heard Gai like this toward him ever. "The path of a shinobi is hard and painful...we lose and we regret, but we never allow ourselves to be trapped in the past!"

"Gai..." Kakashi looked away. "I'm sorry..."

"Being sorry isn't going to help Kakashi..." Gai said as he looked down at Kakashi. "...but putting your past to rest will... "

The wind blew there and then as Kakashi looked up. His heart was heavy, but he couldn't change the past...He could only do better for the future.


	4. The Hidden Shadow Village Revealed

"ARRRGGGGHHH" Screamed the falling ninja as he hit the ground knocked out from a devestating attack from Sakura. She healed the ninja behind her quicker than Tsunade thought she could and even kept the attacking ninja busy with some replicas of herself.

Tsunade walked up to Sakura. "Very good Sakura!" Tsundae yelled in joy. "You have improved greatly. I'm sure you will make a great medic nin!" She commented as she looked at Sakura.

Sakura was suprised at herself as well. She didn't think that defeating her enemy was going to be this easy. Even with the injured comrade and all, she formulated a plan, used her techniques perfectly and defeated the enemy. She felt stronger, it was a beautiful feeling that she loved to feel. She looked at Tsunade. "Is this all for today?"

Tsundae nodded. "Yes. You may be dismissed now Sakura. I expect to see you tomorrow morning again." She said as Sakura walked away from the area and back into town. "That girl will become something great..." She thought to herself as the wind blew past her. She walked over and helped the ninja to his feet. "You okay?" She asked.

The ninja took off his mask to revel that it was Iruka. "Ahhh...that girl is amazing." He said as he rubbed his jaw. "She packs a mean punch."

"She got that from me." Tsunade replied. "Thanks for helping out though." She looked at the smiling Iruka.

"Anytime Tsunade-sama. I just had to see how much progress Sakura made. I see that she isn't the little pink haired girl I used to know." Iruka remembered Sakura well. She was the head of the class with Chakra control and knowledge on Ninja-Know-How. He felt proud to teach her everything she knew and to grow up to have become what she is so far.

Shizune appeared out of the blue, but to no suprise to Iruka and Tsunade. "Tsunade-sama...you won't believe this..." She said with a tone of seriousness in her voice. Tsunade turned to her hearing this. "Please follow me to the hospital." She disappeared once again.

Tsunade wondered what could be wrong as she looked at Iruka. "I'll chat with you later Iruka, looks like somethings come up." She said to him in a hurry. She then disappeared from the area and sped her way to the hospital. She landed at the front doors and headed in, looking to the front desk.

The desk nurse looked at her. "Ahhh...Hokage-sama...Shizune is in the waiting room." She said to Tsunade.

"Thank you." Tsunade replied as she made her way to the waiting room. She opened the door to a small room with chairs lined up on the walls and a TV to watch. She saw Shizune sitting across from Raven. He had his hood up and a dark shadow blocked the view of his face. She took a seat next to Shizune and looked at the ninja.

"You must be the 5th." Raven stated a he looked at her and sensed her appearence wasn't what it seemed. She was hiding her age with chakra. "I must say...she is pretty attractive." He thought to himself.

"I am..." Tsunade replied. She didn't want to wait...time to get down to business. "What is your name and reason for being here?" She asked.

"My name is Raven. I was on a mission to deliver some information to Gaara in the Hidden Sand, when my sister and I were attacked. We managed to escape and head here. I didn't mean to cause a scene when I got here, but two of your Jonin wouldn't listen to my plea." He looked to the side some and thought about his sister and if she would be okay.

"Hmm...what village are you from?" Tsunade asked. She watched him as he looked back at her a he took off his hood and reveled his face and forehead protector. Her eyes grew wide in shock of what see is seeing. His forehead protector showed a bar and a tear drop shape hanging from it. "I thought..." She began to speak...

"That we were destoryed?" He said cutting her off. He looked down some. "No...we were hurt badly though." He looked to his right and peered out the window. "I was only seven at the time when the Hidden Sound, Mist and Cloud attacked us." He looked back at Tsunade with seriousness in his face. "But the Hidden Shadow did not die..."

He saw that Tsunade was still in shock at this news. Tsunade always wanted to visit the Hidden Shadow to enjoy the beautiful village located on the biggest island between the Sound, Water and Lightning countries. Even though the country of Shadows was small, it was known in past wars that whom ever side they take, that side will win. Reason behind that was that the Hidden Shadow had the most feared Jonins, but before the Leaf and Lightning war, Lightning tricked the Water and Sound into attacking the Shadows by killing some Water and Sound Jonin and placing their bodies on Shadow land. Lightning's main purpose for this action against the Hidden Shadow, was to disable any assistance from a stronger force than themselves alone.

"I think that it isn't safe for us to leave this village now." He said, looking at Tsunade. "Those ninja's will be waiting for us."

"Do you know who these ninja are?" Tsunade asked.

Raven shook his head. "No...they didn't have forehead protectors on, but they were strong."

Tsunade thought to herself. "Hmm...I'll have Gaara come here then." She looked at Raven for a response.

"That will work out fine for my sister and I." He bowed his head. "Thank you Hokage-sama. I am sorry for the disturbance and any troubles I have brought with me."

Tsunade stood up with Shizune. "It is quite alright, this place has been a bit boring as of late." She remarked as she walked out. Shizune walked next to her catching up the pace. "Shizune, I'll give this mission to you."

"I must deny it then." She replied.

Tsunade looked at her, taken back some. "Why is this?" She asked. She knew that Shizune must have something important to do to turn down any mission given to her.

"I have a date with Kakashi tonight." Shizune replied as she saw Tsunade's eyebrow raise.

"A date with Kakashi?" She said with even more confusion. This was strange to see Shizune ask anyone on a date and especially Kakashi.

"I refused to give him anymore missions and told him to cheer up. Well...then I decided to take him on a friendly date tonight."

"I guess that means you're leaving me with all the paper work tonight as well aren't you?"

"You're suppose to do it yourself anyways! You're the Hokage! Not me!"

XXXX

Else where in a bar...

Genma, Aoba, Kokou, and Konton met up after the incident at the gate for a drink and to talk about the newcomer. Kokou and Konton were still in shock at the boy's level of skill and chakra skill.

"So you mean to tell me that this boy beat your Suiton: Kaihoudon? (Water Release: Pressure Cannon)" Genma questions as he looks to Konton. "And burned through your Sugoi Tetsu Kabe? (Great Iron Wall) Using the Katon: Karyu Endan? (Fire Release: Fire Dragon Flame Bullet.)"

Konton and Kokou both nodded.

"He had this strange symbol on his forehead protector. One I have never seen before." Kokou said a he tried to recall the event in his mind. He thanked his lucky stars it wasn't a one on one case or he wouldn't be alive to talk about it.

Konton killed his glass of sake. "It was a bar with a tear drop looking symbol hanging from it." He looked at Genma and saw his eyes grow wide. "What?"

"Are you sure!" Genma asked franticly.

"Y-yeah man...calm down." Konton said as he looked confused.

"That can't be right...Hidden Shadow ninja? Here?" He looked at Konton and Kokou. "I'll have to check his out myself..."

"Wait...Hidden Shadow?" Kokou asked.

"Weren't they destoryed?" Konton added.

"It seems they aren't completely destoryed if one showed up here" Aoba anwsered. "And no wonder he beat you two, shadow shinobi are extremely leathal and are able to use multiple skills of ninjutsu." He looked at Kokou. "You are one of the few able to use water based jitsu attacks, but he can use fire, wind, water, earth...you name it, he probably can use it."

"H-how?" Kokou asked as he thought of the ninja as almost a Hokage.

"His skill at molding charka is the key." Genma said as he took a sip of sake. "We are comfortable with molding our charka to fire attacks and taijutsu attacks, but he is comfortable with just molding charka and controlling it to the point he can do almost anything with it."

"Mean if there is a jutsu..." Konton started.

"Give him sometime to practice it and he'll have it down faster than most ninja's."

XXXX

Outside of the village two shinobi over look the village with evil intent...

The two ninjas are Teuyoi Tanku and Kurohyou Tsume...

Tanku is a missing nin of the Hidden Sand and has been for over eighteen years. Many ANBU ninjas failed to kill him before he was considered too dangerous to face because of his incredible power and solid defense. He stood at a towering 6'10 and weighed over three hundred pounds of solid Gaara was born he was known to be the most feared ninja they had. Still his bloodlust is what made him a monster and a threat to those in the Hidden Sand.

Tsume was a female missing nin from the Hidden Mist. She stood next to Tanku at 5'5 with her companion panther that never left her side since she was younger. "Damn...we let him escape into here." Tsume said as she looked at the village. Things could get complicated now with their targets in a Hidden Village. "We need to watch out for some of the Jonin here. Kakashi is among the top ones."

"Ha! Kakashi is weak compared to me...So are the rest of the Jonin of this village. None could ever stand against my power." His eyes burn with the desire to kill as he peered at the village. "Why can't we just tear this village apart?" He asked Tsume.

Tsume looked over at him, disgusted with his desire to kill and hurt, but it's not like that she cared for anyone anyways, she just can't stand working with simple minded people. She let's out an annoyed sigh. "We don't want to call attention to ourselves and lose our target." She looked back out at the village. "Orchimaru-sama would kill us if we failed this mission. For now we recon and then report back to the rest of the team."

Tanku sneered. "All you lucky little weaklings get to live just alittle longer..." His mouth watered for death. "But sooner or later I will get my hands on you...and slowly watch you wilt in my hands..."


	5. As The Day Passes

Naruto walked down the street with his hands behind his head and his head in the sky. _"Kakashi-sensei finally returns and I can't find him anywhere..." _Naruto thought to himself as he let out a bored sigh. The sight of Ino caught Naruto's eye as he looked over at her. She was watering her plant decoration outside of the shop as usual. _"Might as well say hi." _He thought as he walked up to Ino. "Hi Ino-chan!" He said with a smile.

Ino turned to him with roses in her hands. She had also become closer to Naruto in the past two years, but not as close as Sakura. "Hey Naruto! Here to buy some flowers for Sakura?"

Naruto raised an eyebrow. "Why would I want to buy her flowers?" He he replied as he thought about it.

Ino sighed and looked down. _"Geez...he's still a numbskull." _She thought to herself. She looked back up to him. "Did you see the new ninja in town by any chance?" She asked blushing.

Naruto looked at her with confusion on his face. "New ninja?"

Ino clamped her hands together with the thorn-less roses in them and wondered. "Yeah! I heard he was really handsome! Better than Sasuke!" She wondered how the ninja boy would look, but then caught the look on Naruto's face.

Naruto looked down at the ground hearing Sasuke's name. "Sasuke..." He mumbled to himself.

Ino tried to quickly think of something that would make Naruto happy. "Ahh...Hey! How bout' you give Sakura some flowers!" She saw Naruto look up at her. He didn't know why she said that.

"Why?" He asked.

"Because I think she would like them!" Ino replied.

"Well, why don't you give them to her?"

_"He's so dumb, it makes you wanna smack him."_ Ino thought to herself. "Because Naruto, I have to close up tonight."

"Well..." He thought to himself.

"Great!" Ino said with glee, cutting Naruto off. She grabbed a hand full of Sakura flowers (Cherry Blossom Flowers) and shoved them into Naruto's chest. "Here! I'm sure she will love them! But I have a lot do so I'll see you later Naruto!" She ran inside and turned. "Bye!" She waved and disappeared into the back of the store before Naruto could say a word.

"Ah..." Naruto looked at the flowers. "Oh well... " Naruto walked along again, thinking about learning new Jutsus and random thoughts that would float around in his head. "Kakashi...where are you...?"

XXXX

Word around town spread quickly about the Hidden Shadow ninja. A lot of Leaf ninja's want to see what's so special about him, one in particular.

Raven left the hospital to walk around town some, see the sights and sounds of the village he heard about when he was a child. He soon found himself in the training area of the village. It was a large open clearing with other ninja's around practicing or studying. He sat down in the smooth grass and enjoyed the cool breeze that passed by him. He finally relaxed for the first time in a long time, but before he could enjoy it anymore, a figure stood overhim.

"Are you the Shadow ninja that everyone is talking about?" The figure asked.

Raven looked up at the figure, he couldn't make out the figures face as the boys back was to the sun but replied, "And what if I am?"

"Then fight me" The figure said with more vigor in his voice. "I've heard stories of Shadow ninjas being the greatest ninjas to live." The figure took two steps back as Raven rose from his sitting posistion. He looked at Raven. "What is your name?"

Raven looked at the teen as he stood. "Raven...and yours?" He looked into the boys white eyes.

"Hyuga Neji." Neji replied with a smirk on his face. Neji heard the Shadow ninjas possessed incredible skills in all areas of ninja related combat, but didn't believe any ninja could beat the Gentle Fist style.

The name sounded familar to Raven and then he rememered. "Ahh...the Hyuga family. I'm guessing you still use the Gentle Fist style correct?" Neji took his Gentle Fist stance proudly with a smirk. He was ready to defeat this so called great ninja. "I guess so...I'm telling you this right now. That style is no good against me." Raven said with seriousness in his voice.

Neji looked at him, his confidence not waning a bit. "This style cannot be beat. It's one of the most deadlist Taijustus there are."

"When you know how it works, you can beat it." Raven replied as he looked at Neji seriously. "Hyuga Neji, I ask of you to not battle me. I do not want to harm you." Raven pleaded, but almost knew his plead fell on deaf ears.

Other ninja's stopped their training and gathered around to see this match up. The girls giggled and gossipped on the spot about Raven's rumored looks and all the boys doubted his skills against Neji.

Tenten looked on beside Lee. "Is that the Shadow ninja?" She asked Choji as she looked at the hooded boy. "I heard he was pretty cute."

"Yeah, I heard he's suppose to be some ultimate ninja." Choji replied as he indulged in some chips.

Lee focused on the Shadow ninja. "Let's see how his skills are compared to Neji..." Lee knew Neji had gotten much better from two years ago as few around the village could defeat him in hand to hand combat. Lee was one of the few that could match him.

"When I challenge someone, they can't back out. Get ready Raven...for defeat." Neji ordered.

Raven looked at Neji and shook his head. He pulled down his hood to revel his face. The female ninjas in the area instantly gocked at him.

"Wow...he's handsome..." Tenten said in amazement.

Neji rushed in at Raven at full speed noticing that Raven took no stance what so ever. _"This will be quick and easy." _Neji thought to himself as he threw countless strikes and landed, but something was wrong...He jumped back noticing that Raven wasn't damaged one bit and he still remained in the same standing posistion as before. "What! H-h-how are you standing!"

Lee stood shocked at what he saw. "Those were all clean blow from Neji's Gentle Fist attacks, but somehow that guy is still standing!" He now knew that this Shadow ninja wasn't any ordinary ninja.

"Like I said before Neji..." Raven looked at Neji. "When you know how it works, you can beat it." Raven smirked as he saw Neji become nervous. "The Gentle Fist strikes my inner organs using Chakra, but when you strike me and release that Chakra, that's when I release a equal amount to that area to cancel the effect."

Neji's eyes grow wide. _"He's cancelling my Chakra with his own, but to concentrate that precise amount of Chakra to a certain area and in a split second is amazing..." _Neji thought to himself. _"He's turning my attacks into nothing, but slaps..." _Neji took his form again and rushed at Raven. "I won't lose!" He yelled as he sent a palm to Raven's chest, but his hand is shot with pain and he jumps back holding it. "Ahh..." He looked to Raven.

"I didn't just cancel out the Chakra that time Neji...I reversed the affect on you. You were going to stop my lungs with that strike and you could have killed me." Raven said as he turned and sat back down. "Now please stop. I want to relax for once."

Neji looked at Raven in anger. _"He know's the style in and out. He even countered it! How could this be? Are the Hidden Shadow ninja's this strong?" _He thought to himself. He looked at everyone who peered at him for even trying a blow like that. _"Maybe...I shouldn't have gotten so worked up...It's been awhile since I've been outmatched..." _He took another glance at Raven before walking off.

"He beat Neji..." Tenten said in shock. "He didn't even lift a finger and he beat Neji!" She looked at Lee who was fixated on the ninja.

_"I'm glad this guy is friendly...I would hate to see the rest of his clan..." _Lee thought to himself.

XXXX

Else where in the village, in Sakura's house...

Sakura brushed her hair after drying it from a nice relaxing bath as she hummed along to a song on the radio. She heard a knock on her door. _"Geez mother...I'm busy!" _She thought to herself as she walked to the door. She opened it to find Naruto with a boque of flowers in his hand.

"Hey, Sakura-chan." He greeted her with a smile. He held out the flowers. "These are for you! Ino..."

Sakura snatched them from him and cut him off. "Oh Naruto! They're Sakuras! Awww...Thank you!" _"Does he really have these feelings for me too!" _She thought as she squeeled. She looked back at Naruto blushing.

Naruto had no idea what was going on, he just knew he was hungry. "Hey Sakura, are you hungry?" He asked.

Sakura shot a sly look at him. _"Oooo...he's smooth. Naruto is trying to ask me out on a date now.''_ She thought to herself. "Hmmm...I haven't eaten since breakfast, so yeah! I am!"

Naruto was in complete control of Sakura and he didn't even know it. "Well I was going to get some Ramen if you wanna come as well..."

"Sure! I would love to!" She anwsered quickly. She put the flowers in a empty vase in her room and hooked Naruto's arm around hers then drug him outside toward the Ramen shop.

"G-Geez Sakura!" Naruto yelped as he caught his footing. "You must be really hungry!"

Sakura looked at him and smiled. "I am!"

XXXX

Soon the day was starting to die out as the color of the sky started to change as the sun lowered near the horizon...

Shizune was at her house getting ready for her date with Kakashi, something she still can't believe that she's doing. She looked at her casual outfit, pair of low cut jeans with a tight belly shirt and a some sandels. _"Well Shizune..." _She thought to herself. _"Your first date in a long time...I hope this goes well..." _She got dressed, sprayed herself with two shots of perfume and left out towards Kakashi's house.

Kakashi was sitting on his couch waiting for the knock on his door. "A date..." He said aloud as he watched TV. "This is gonna be interesting..." He had put on some baggy jeans, a black t-shirt and some sneakers. His mask was still on of course with his forehead protector still covering his Sharingan. He picked up his new edition of Flirting Paradise and began to read.

After fifteen minutes he heard the knock on his door. He closed the book and set it on the table as he rose from his couch and made his way to the door, opening it to see Shizune. _"Whoa...never thought I would ever see Shizune so casual..." _He thought as he looked at her.

Shizune was also suprised to find Kakashi in such casual clothing. _"Wow...I never knew Kakashi looked like this..." _She thought. There was a silence between them. Shizune broke the ice. "Um...are you hungry?" She asked timidly.

"Yeah, I haven't eaten all day." He replied. "Let's head to the steak house." He said as he took her arm.

Shizune was suprised once more by this action, but loved it. She looked up at the stary evening sky.

_"This will be a great date..."_


	6. Date!

Naruto opened his door to his apartment, semi tired for the day, but lead Sakura in. He wasn't sure why she would want to come over, but she insisted. He walked into his small living room and turned on the TV, looking back at Sakura. "You wanna watch a movie?" He asked.

Sakura looked at him in delight. "Sure! Let me see what you have..." She looked at his collection of movies and wasn't able to make a choice. They all sucked in her opinion. Action and bad comedy. No romance...that's what she needed to set the mood with him. "Hmm...I know!" She looked up at Naruto. "Ino has this movie I wanted to watch so I'll run down to her shop and get it from her!"

"Um...okay... " Naruto replied. "I'll make the popcorn." He said as Sakura left out. "Man that girl is strange..."

Sakura looked at the sky, it was begining to turn pink and orange. She loved this time of day because it was so relaxing and peaceful. Sometimes she would catch herself acting like Shikamaru and enjoying the passing clouds. She had come to realize why so many of her friends do the things they do.

She began making her way down the street looking at some people that were at corner shops and stores. She looked at the sky once more and thought about Sasuke. She went through her memories with him over and over again and thought to herself a lot if there was anything she could have done to stop him from leaving. She remembers the night he left. How he hurt her...not from the knock out shot to the back of her neck, but from not caring one bit for someone that loves him.

She suddenly was pulled back to the world when she fell on her butt from walking into someone. "Ahh! Oh excuse me!" She looked up to the hand that was offered out to her as help to get up. She looked up at the hooded Raven. It freaked her out some to see an unknown shinobi in the town and freaked her out even more not being able to see his face from the hood. She hestintly took his hand and he gracefully pulled her up to her feet.

"Lost in thoughts?" He questioned in his monotone voice. His eyes peered down upon the pink haired girl. Her eyes reminded him of his sister's who was still resting in the hospital.

Sakura looked away some. "Yeah...it's a habit..." She looked back at him. "You're not from around...here are you?" She questioned as she looked at his attire. His oversized hood casted a black shadow on the boys face and his huge scarf covered the lower half of the ninja's face. She looked at his well kept leather shoulder armor. His torso sported a tight spandex tank top that was black as well. He wore another scarf around his waist and it holstered two ninja swords. His forearms were also covered with a leather armor. His pants were a black baggy cargo with his ninja pouches. His outfit clearly showed that he was a master of stealth.

Raven pulled down his hood. "No I am not..." He replied as his eyes connected with Sakuras. "I am from the Hidden Shadow. I'm here because something came up in my mission."

_"Wow...he's so handsome..." _She thought to herself as she looked into his eyes and saw something that turned her mind away from his looks. His pain...She could see his pain. She knew of these eyes because they were the same eyes that Sasuke carried. His facial features were smooth and his face was emotionless along with his voice. His hair was similar to Sasuke's, black with long bangs that cover some of his face. "Oh...Well I'm Haruno Sakura!" She said with a smile.

_"This is a shinobi? More like a little girl to me..." _Raven thought to himself. "Musei Raven. (Silent Raven)" He replied. "I don't mean to keep you..."

"Yeah I have to be going anyways..."

Silence.

"It was nice meeting you Raven." Sakura said breaking the silence between them.

"It was nice meeting you too, Sakura. Maybe we will meet again one day." He replied.

Sakura smiled. _"He is very polite...for someone so dark..." _She thought to herself. "Bye!" She said with a smile as she walked off down the street toward Ino's shop.

Raven took another look at her and put his hood back up. He continued to aimlessly walk along.

XXXX

Mean while at a resturant...

Shizune savored the sweet and sour pork in her mouth. "Mmmm...this is so good!" She said as she looked up to Kakashi. She saw that his mask was down and her eyes lit up. _"I never knew...Kakashi was this handsome." _She thought to herself.

Kakashi took a bite of his dumpling as he looked up at Shizune. "Yeah, the pork is really good here. This is one of my favorite places to eat...and it's even better with someone like you on a date." He said with a slick smile.

"Oh stop it!" Shizune said playfully as she began to blush. "You're just saying that..." She took a sip of her sáké. She had a bit of sake already and was feeling a bit loose.

"No, I really mean it." He replied as his visible eye looked down. "I'm glad that I have someone that cares about me..."

"Kakashi..." She looked at him. "Everyone in this town cares for you. We all understand that you have experienced loss in your life and so have we. It's what makes us stronger. Kakashi...I'll always be here for you when you need something..."

Kakashi looked up with a smile. "Thank you Shizune..."

"Hey, it's alright. Now eat up! We have to make it to the movies in twenty minutes to catch that show!"

"Right!"

XXXX

Sakura walked back into Naruto's place with the movie in hand and walked over to the TV. "Got it Naruto!" She yelled out with a smile.

Naruto walked over to the couch with a big bowl of popcorn. He sat down and watched as Sakura put the movie in. He was suprised when she nussled up against him. He looked down at her. "S-Sakura-chan..."

"It's a really good movie Ino told me." Sakura said as she leaned on Naruto with her head resting on his shoulder. She took some popcorn and ate it.

A smile appeared on Naruto's face. "So this is what she thinks of me..." He finally realized.

XXXX

In the movie theatre, Kakashi and Shizune watch a horror movie. The movie has had Shizune cuddled next to Kakashi, funny how a fearless shinobi needed comfort during a horror movie, still it brought her closer to him. The bass hit as a monster jumped out at the screen and made Shizune jump into Kakashi's arms. He looked at her as she looked back with a slightly embarrassed smile.

After the movie was over, everyone left the building. Shizune walked along looking at the stary night sky while holding onto Kakashi's arm. It was a lovely date in her eyes as she hadn't had this much fun in years.

"So...I'm guessing our date is over?" Kakashi asked Shizune as he looked at her.

"I guess..." Shizune replied looking down. "I had a great time and all..." Shizune knew all good things had to come to an end.

"...Want to come back to my place and stay?" Kakashi offered and he saw Shizune's eyes light up.

"Sure!" She replied with glee. She took his hand and walked towards his house with him.

XXXX

Back at Naruto's...

Naruto's shallow breathing as a sure sign that he was knocked out as he was resting on Sakura's shoulder. Sakura looked at him and smiled. _"Awww...he's so cute when he's sleeping..." _She proped him up gently as she stood, placing the pop corn on the table. She turned at tapped him on the shoulder. "Wake up sleepy head..."

Naruto stirred and looked at Sakura with tired eyes. He yawned. "Sorry Sakura-chan...I fell asleep..." He stood up from the couch and streatched his arms.

"It's alright, I still enjoyed the movie with you." She said as she walked him over to his bed. Naruto gracefully fell into his bed and was out cold._"Wow...he must have been tired..." _She thought with a smile.

XXXX

Else where in town...

Raven sat on a bridge railing looking up at the moon. His time in the village made him wish his home was calm and peaceful like this one. The people were nice and well off, with a few jealous shinobi, but with his clan's status that's to be expected. He looked down. "What do you want?" He called to a figure hidden in the shadows.

Asuma stepped out looking at him as he took a puff of his cigarette. "You're the ninja from the Hidden Shadow right?" He asked as he watched the smoke from his cigarette drift into the wind.

"I am, and if you are looking for a battle then I suggest you leave. I'm in no mood..."

"Tell me..." Asuma began. "Is Kenai still alive?"

Raven closed his eyes at the sound of the name. "Why do you want to know?" He asked coldly.

"Because I do." Asuma asked with slight aggression.

"And what is your relation with him?"

Asuma looked down. "...He was my best friend."

Raven opened his eyes and looked back at the moon. "I'm assuming that you are Sarutobi Asuma? Correct?"

Asuma nodded. "Yes..."

"He used to speak of you a lot. Said you were one of his best friends and a skillful ninja. He told me he gave you his trench knives..."

Asuma looked at his weapon pouch. "Yes..." He remembered the day he was given the blades.

"Kenai was my older brother..."

Asuma shot a serious look at Raven. "He was!"

"Yes..." Raven jumped off the rail and landed gracefully on the bridge almost as if he floated to the ground. "...But Kenai was killed in the massacre of the Hidden Shadow."

Asuma looked down. "I...I'm sorry..."

Raven looked at Asuma. "No need to be...I understand he was your best friend and you wanted to know. So there..." Raven walked past a silent Asuma.

Tears pelted the ground beneth Asuma as he silently wept. He took another his of his cigarette. "Kenai...damnit..." He clentched his fists as he looked at the moon.


	7. Dark Plans, Behind The Bright Day

The town was engulfed in bloodshed, screams and fire. The 7 year old Raven rushed inside his house that was near the middle of the town. He held his little sister closely as she cried. He heard the sounds of villagers being slaughtered. They came out of the blue...

"Where's mommy and daddy!" Raven's little sister wept. "I want mommy and daddy!"

"They're not here right now baby sister, but they will be back...they will be back..." He looked back at the door. He heard ninja on the otherside of it. His body tensed up and he jumped back when they kicked the door it.

9 Cloud ninja stepped into the house. They glared at Raven who was holding his little sister.

"Why?" Raven yelled with tears building in his eyes. "Why are you doing this?"

The ninja's didn't respond. One smirked and pulled out his sword. He began to walk toward Raven.

"No...please..." Tears of fear streamed down his face. "Why..." He looked down at his sister who was crying herself.

The ninja rose his sword, but stopped when a breeze of wind blew past him. "Ahh..." Is all the ninja could let out. His head fell backwards onto the floor and his body soon fell with it. Raven looked up in shock at what happened.

Then he appeared...

Raven gasped. "K-K-Kenai!" He yelled, grateful his brother came to help him at the last second.

Kenai looked back at Raven. "Take sissy and get out of here!" He ordered.

Raven looked at him. "But what about you!" He cried out.

"Don't worry about me..." He looked at the remaining 8 ninjas. "Right now you and sissy carry on our family name..."

Raven's eyes grew wide at the sound of that. "But mom and dad..."

"They are gone..." He said with hatred in his voice. "Now go Raven!"

"Kenai!" He yelled out as he saw the ninja's attack at him.

Kenai pulled out his swords and slew all 8 with relative ease. Raven was shocked at the skill he saw. Kenai looked at Raven, but he heard sounds of arrows rushing at Raven. "Raven!" He yelled out as he tackled him, taking 3 arrows in his back. He looked into his sisters teary eyes. She was scared...he could see it.

"Kenai!" Raven yelled out. He saw him struggle to his feet and take 4 more arrows to his shoulder, rib cage and his leg.

Kenai stumbled back into a wall and leaned against it. He saw 4 crossbow men and 6 ninja step into the house. "Raven...I'm sorry..."

Raven looked at his brother. "What are you..."

Kenai ripped open his shirt, exposing hundreds of exploding notes pasted on his body. He snaped his fingers and one started to burn. "Take care of sissy..." He rushed at the bowmen and ninjas.

"KENAI!" Raven screamed as a white flash blinded him.

Raven snaped up in bed. Cold sweat poured down his face and his body. He was breathing heavy, but soon laid back in bed. He looked over at the clock. "7:05 A.M..." He said to himself as he recalled his flashback.

Light flooded the room, held back some by Kakashi blinds. He sat up in bed shirtless and his lower half covered in sheets. He felt hands feeling his chest and Shizune pressed up against his back holding him.

"Good morning..." She let out softly.

Kakashi looked back at her. "Good morning to you too, Shizune."

She laid back, covered by the same white sheet that Kakashi was under. She looked at his frame from his upper back. She had fallen in love with a stud...

"...You want some breakfast?" Kakashi asked.

"Sure..." Shizune replied in a sensual voice.

Kakashi turned around and leaned over her. He softly kissed her on the lips and pulled away. "I'll get it ready...you can stay here."

"_Oh...my...god...What a man!"_ Shizune thought to herself. "Alright..." She replied with a smile. She watched Kakashi get out of bed and dressed.

In Naruto's apartment, Naruto stirs. He looks at the light coming in from his window on him. He yawns and turns over to meet face to face with a sleeping Sakura. He is shocked and he remembers he went to sleep with his clothes on, but when he looked down he was in his boxers only. _"She undressed me?"_ He thought to himself as he looked at what she had on. His black shirt that he wears under his ninja attire and...and...that's it! Her legs looked smooth...and his hormones were giving him signals he never really payed attention to up until now, or he had to pay attention now because of the buldge in his boxers. He snaped over to his other side and layed their, but Sakura didn't make it any better for him when her arm clamped around his waist.

"Naruto-kun..." Sakura said softly into his ear. "Are you awake?"

Naruto tried to think of other thoughts. "Y-y-yeah...Did I wake you, Sakura-chan?" He replied nervously.

"Yeah...but it's ok. I don't mind. You hungry?" She asked.

"Um...yeah I am kinda..."

"Great!" Sakura said as she jumped out of bed. Naruto caught a nose bleed after catching a shot of her underwear. Sakura started to prepare the breakfast while Naruto cleaned himself up.

In the woods, outside of the Village. Tsume and Tanku returned to their camp. Taku Koubai, a loyal Orchimaru sound nin. He cares for no one, but himself and Orchimaru. He looked up at Tsume. "So?" He asked.

"Raven made it to the village." She said with a sigh.

"I say, we go in and kill everyone and everything!" Tanku yelled. "We have the skills to beat any Jonin there..."

"Kill kill kill...that's all you talk about you big idiot!" Tsume yelled at him.

Tanku got in her face. "How bout I shut your big mouth by killing you..."

"How bout you both shut up with your annoying talk..." Hitoshirezu Mizu said, suprising both of them.

Tanku sighed. "Mizu...you need to stop with that appearing stuff."

Mizu is a missing-nin from the Hidden Mist. He is an emotionless killer that will kill anybody and everyone. He enjoys nothing, not even his own life in which he doesn't care if he throws away. His cold gaze falls on Tsume. It sent chills down her spine..."Recon information..."

"Uh...yeah...Raven is in the Hidden Leaf and probably hiding. Either they don't have many Ninja's to send after us, or they know our strength." She told him. She looked around. "Where is Naganobu?" She asked.

"Right here..." He said as he walked up. Unai Naganobu, is a missing-nin from Konoha. He trained in the same class as Orchimaru and is stronger than him. He was banished from Konoha after trying to kill the Third Hokage. "Gaara is coming to Konoha from the information I gathered..."

"That will make it easier for us to complete both missions..." Koubai said. "Kill Raven and Gaara...just like Orchimaru-sama ordered."

Tanku looked at Naganobu for his orders. His hands twitching in excitement to hear that he might be able to kill soon...

Naganobu looked at Tanku. Tanku wasn't the sharpest knife in the bunch, but he was the most deadliest. Naganobu respected his power and has even admitted that Tanku would give him a run for his money in a battle. "Until Gaara of the Sand gets to the Village...we wait. Do not engage anyone..." He shot a look at Tanku. "...No matter how badly you want to kill them..."

Everyone nodded.

"Koubai and Mizu. You two recon for today, tell me of any movement of ninja that you see." Naganobu ordered.

"Yes sir." They both said together and disappeared.

Naganobu looked to the sky with a dark smile. "My revenge on the town will be sweet with the taste of blood..."


	8. A Message To The Hidden Sand

Raven wiped the bathroom mirror from it's steamy cover. He looked at his reflection and thought of his dream. _"Did it mean something?"_ He thought to himself quietly. He brushed his teeth and walked out of the bathroom while brushing them. He walked out and put on some casual clothing. He sliped on a pair of black baggy cargos with a loose black t-shirt. He hated bright colors. Monochromatic was his style. He dryed his hair and walked out of the room. He had stayed at a Inn for the night. He walked down stairs and outside into the streets. He made his way to the hospital and signed in under visitor. He made it to his sisters room and walked in.

"Raven!" His sister called out. She was healing fast, in which he did not understand why she does.

Raven smiled back at her. "Good morning Kage!" He replied. He walked over and sat on the bed. "I see that you are healing well, as always."

Kage nodded. "Thanks to you, Raven." She smiled. "I see that this is Konoha...how will we continue with our mission? Those ninja are probably waiting for us..." She looked at him with concern.

Raven looked out the window. It was another sunny day outside. "Gaara of the Sand is coming here." He replied.

"Here?" She was suprised some. "Is that safe? I mean, Orochimaru could attack here if he found that out!"

Raven looked back at her. "True, but he is not organized enough yet. But if those ninja that attacked us come here, then we are in for some trouble."

"Aren't the ninja here skilled?" Kage asked with question on her face.

Raven looked down. "The Jonin aren't impressive and the Chuunin are practicly harmless to our standards."

Kage sighed deeply. "Great...I hope Gaara the sand is strong, because if Orochimaru attacks..." She looked to Raven. "I don't think we'll make it out alive..."

They both looked at the door when someone steped up behind it. The door opened and a pink haired girl steped in.

"You again..." Raven said.

"Oh! Hi Raven." Sakura replied. "I was told to check up on your sister here." She looked to Raven's side. "I see that you are awake. That's wonderful." She walked over to Kage and looked at her wounds. "Wow...you heal like Naruto..."

"Naruto?" Raven asked.

Sakura looked at him and smiled. "Oh, he's a friend of mine." She looks back at Kage's wounds. "He's something special I must say...His abilities are incredible. Better than most Jonin's around here I must say. But..." She sighed. "He's still a Genin."

Raven and Kage looked at her suprised.

"You mean that he's a Genin, but better than most Jonin?" Kage questioned.

Sakura nodded. "I know it sounds strange, but it's true. Naruto hasn't taken the Chuunin exam ever since the attack on Konoha." She thinks about him. "All he really does is train...he wants to be Hokage one day."

"That's a high title...don't you think you should tell him that his dream will most likely not become a reality?" Raven said as he looked at Sakura.

Sakura looked at Raven. "No...I won't tell him that because..." She looked off into the distance. "I believe that he will become Hokage one day...and protect us all."

Kage giggled some and saw Sakura look at her. "Then I'm guessing he isn't just a friend is he?" She asked.

Sakura's cheeks filled with blush. She looked down, embarassed somewhat. "Heh...well...I do like him. He means everything to me now."

Else where in town. Naruto walks down the street looking for Kakashi once more...

"Ahhh! Why can't I ever find Kakashi-Sensei!" Naruto howled. He looked over and saw Neji sitting on a bench with his head down. "Hey...Neji...What's up?" He asked.

Neji looked up at Naruto. His face filled with depression. "Nothing..."

Naruto took a seat next to him. "You're not telling the truth..."

Neji looked back at the ground with a deep sigh. He was still confused about how his Gentle Fist style was so easily overcome. "This...new ninja in town...defeated me with ease." He said quietly.

Naruto's face went into shock. "H-h-h-h-h-how!" Even with Naruto's training, Neji was still a hard opponent to beat, but for someone to make Neji depressed when beating him...wow.

"It was a ninja from the Hidden Shadow Village. He knew my style, inside out and countered it in a way that I didn't think could be possible."

"Hidden Shadow?" Naruto said in confusion. "Never heard of it."

"Probably because you were sleeping in class durning the History of the Hidden Village's chapter, you idiot." Neji cheered up some from that insult he slaped Naruto with. He looked up at a confused Naruto. "Before we went to war with the Hidden Cloud, they attacked the Hidden Shadow with the Sound and Water, so the Shadow couldn't back up the Leaf."

"...Huh?"

"...Nevermind you idiot. Look, he beat me because he is more skilled and I. Ok?"

"Is he still around?"

"He'll probably be around for awhile..." Kakashi said as he stood behind them.

Naruto jumped at the sound of Kakashi's voice, but settled down quickly. "There you are! I can never seem to find you when I want to!"

"Maybe you don't look in the right places..." Kakashi replied. He looked at Neji. "Heard you were defeated...badly."

Neji looked down once more. "Yeah..." He stood up and looked at Naruto and Kakashi. "I can't just sit here and be down about it." He looked to the sky. "I have to become stronger." He looked back at the two. "I'll see you two later." He walked off.

Not to far from the Sand Country, Genma and Aoba make their way to the Hidden Sand...

"So why did they give us this mission to deliver a message?" Aoba asked.

"Well...if they sent Genin or Chuunin, they could be attacked and killed." Genma replied.

"They are skilled enough to deal with enemies. I mean, no Jonin would care about Chuunin or Genin."

"This is a message that could make the difference of life or death for many Sand ninjas."

Aoba looked at him seriously. "What is about to happen?"

"I don't know Aoba...but I don't like it."


	9. The Past

Sakura looked up at the sky as she walked along with Raven down the street. He seemed much nicer than she had expected, but that pain was still there in his eyes. "So...what's the Shadow Country like?" He asked as she looked at him.

Raven looked at her and sighed. "Before or after the massacre?" He asked.

Sakura, put her hand over her mouth. "Oh...I'm sorry...I forgot about it's history." She looked down. "I remember when Iruka-Sensei assigned me to a project about the Shadow Country. I couldn't really find out much about the country's way of life."

Raven watched the clouds pass by. "Before the massacre...It was beautiful. We experianced all the weather changes of the seasons. Winter would be cold and snowy and the summers would be hot and rainy." He sighed once more. "The forests were beautiful...full of animals and harmony. The mornings were the best...the crack of dawn was so peaceful to me." He looked down. "Now, we are a walking death trap. Letting me out was risky enough." He looked at Sakura, who was very interested in his story. "We hid in fear of another mass attack. Our once beautiful forests are laced with ninja traps...our ninja's are trained 10 times harder than they used to be and we are poor."

Sakura now understood...She could see the pain in his eyes glow. "I'm sure if you asked the Hokage, she will be glad to help the country." She said with confedence in her voice.

"That's not my choice to make. I am not the Lord of the Hidden Shadow..."

"Oh... " Sakura looked down.

Raven looked at her with a smile. "Hey hey! Lighten up! I didn't mean to get you down with my life's story."

Sakura looked back at him with a smile. "Heh, thanks for caring."

"You look better when you smile like that..."

Skaura blushed. _"Wow...what a stud..."_ She thought to herself.

Else where in town, Asuma sat at a bar with a cigarette in his mouth. He thought about Kenai and him.

_17 years ago..._

"Ha!" Kenai yelled as he sent a stiff kick to the right side of Asuma's head. Asuma blocked with ease and jumped over a quick sweep. "Kage Te! _(Shadow Hand)_" Kenai yelled as his hands multiplied into 8 hands and they swung at him.

Asuma, blocked the real hands perfectly. He grabbed Kenai and threw him over his shoulder, but Kenai countered by holding onto Asuma's collar and turning. He fell onto his back and pulled Asuma down. He planted a foot into Asuma's stomach and foot launched him. Asuma flipped in mid air and landed gracefully on his feet and quickly turned to face Kenai once more.

Kenai stood up and brushed himself off. "I think that's enough for today." He said as he took off his gloves.

Asuma took a deep breath and relaxed. "Tired?" He asked.

Kenai looked at him. "No...I'm hungry!" His stomach growled. He looked down at it and laughed. "I guess I can't hit you with my Kage Te anymore can I?" He said as he looked up at Asuma.

Asuma pulled out a cigarette and some matches. "Not anymore! The real strikes are much more aggressive than the false hands." He explained as he lit up a cigarette. He held out the pack to Kenai as an offer.

Kenai put his hand up in rejection. "That will get the best of you one day Asuma." Kenai warned him.

"I'll quit, don't worry!" He said as he took a puff. "So...you want to head to Yameri's Steakhouse?"

Kenai's mouth watered at the sound. "...LAST ONE THERE PAYS!" Kenai took off, bookin down the street toward the resturant.

"WHA! WAIT! NOT FAIR!" Asuma chased after him.

_Present..._

Asuma is pulled back to the present by the sound of Kurenai calling his name next to him. He looked at her and gathered his thoughts back, pushing back the memories. "Hey Kurenai." He said.

"You ok?" She asked. "You looked deep in thought."

Asuma took a puff of his cigarette. "I'm ok. Just thinking about an old friend of mine." He sipped his Sake. "Yowai! _(Tender)_ Another Sake, for the lady here!" He called out and the tender nodded. He handed Kurenai her sake.

Kurenai nodded in thanking him. "So...There is a new ninja in town. You hear?" She said after sipping her Sake.

Asuma nodded. "His name is Musei Raven. He is a ninja from the Hidden Shadow."

"Weren't they..."

"Nope. I thought they were destoryed too, but he appeared with his sister. Word has it they are on a mission. We didn't get any details about it, but someone doesn't want them to complete their misson."

"Well, Gaara of the Sand is coming here."

He looked at Kurenai. "Here? Why?"

"I don't know, I wasn't given any details, but I think it has to do with our two guests."

"Hmmm...things may get very interesting around here."

In the Hidden Sand, Genma and Aoba walk into Gaara's office. Gaara stands at a window and looks out at the horizon. "The Hidden Leaf...what is it that you want?" Gaara asked as he turned around.

Aoba nearly urinated on himself from the look Gaara gave them, but Genma stood steady. "We are here to ask if you would come to Konoha. There are two ninja's from the Hidden Shadow that have a message for you. They are being chased by some unknown ninja, so they cannot proceed here." Genma stated.

Gaara looked down. "Hmmm...Shadow Ninja...this must be important if someone doesn't want me to get this message." He looked up at the two. "Alright, I'll come."

"Thank you Gaara of the Sand." Genma said as he bowed his head. He pulled a scared Aoba out of the room.

"I swear he wanted to kill us...Oh man..." Aoba cried. "Thankfully you were here Genma..."

Genma wasn't paying attention to anything Aoba said. He was worried. Worried that Konoha would be caught in the middle of something dangerous...


	10. Familiar Feelings

"Whaaa!" Naruto yelled as he stumbled back and lost his footing. He fell on his back and sat up rubbing the back of his head. "Ahh..."

Kakashi looked at Naruto. _"He's stronger than I thought he would be..."_ "Good Naruto." Kakashi said as he put his hands in his pockets.

"Whaddya mean good!" Naruto pushed himself to his feet. "It's not good if I can't beat you!" He yelled.

"But you had me going a couple times..." He walked up to Naruto. "Your skills have improved..." He pokes Naruto's forehead. "...and so has your knowledge of battle."

A grin crept on to Naruto's face. "Yes it has..."

Kakashi looked back quickly to see another Naruto kick at him, but he blocks it and grabs his foot. He instinictivly catches the other Naruto's wrist as he threw a punch at him and spins. He swings both Naruto's around and throws them. One hits a tree and disappears and the other hits the ground and disappears. Kakashi looks up and sees another one send a kick at him from above. _"Tricky..."_ He thought to himself as he flipped upward and kicked the kick from Naruto away. He grabbed Naruto's collar after completing the flip and slams him into the ground and lands on top of him. "Give up?"

Naruto looks at him with the same grin. "Nope!" Naruto grabs Kakashi's sleeves and holds him to the ground. The real Naruto is behind Kakashi with his hands forming the Tora _(Tiger)_ seal. "Payback from along time ago...Hidden Leaf Ancient Taijutsu Supreme Technique: Sennin Goroshi! _(The Thousand Years of Pain_)" Naruto forcefully stuck his fingers into Kakashi's butt.

Kakashi looked at him.

POOF!

He disappeared and Naruto was shocked.

"This is how it's done Naruto..." Kakashi said from behind the real Naruto with his hands froming the Tora _(Tiger)_ seal.

Naruto's eyes widened and filled with tears when he looked back.

"SENNIN GOROSHI! _(The Thousand Years of Pain_)"

"WHHHHHAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!"

Back in the village, Raven and Sakura sit at a resturant table. Raven drinks some green tea as he looks out the window at the sky. Sakura giggled some as she looked at him. He looked over at her confused at what she was giggling about. "What?" He asked.

"Oh..." She giggled some more. "When you look at the clouds, you remind me of my friend Shikamaru. He looks at clouds all day when they are in the sky." She then felt something...something strange. _"Am I...?"_ She tried to shake the feeling as she looked away from Raven, but when she looked at him from the corner of her vision, she felt this feeling again. It seemed to make her legs shake and her loose focus. _"No...I can't...I..."_ She knew it...she knew this feeling...it is the same feeling she has for Naruto. She's fallen in love with this ninja that she's only known for 2 days!

"Something wrong?" He asked.

"It's nothing..." She responded, but her innerself was screaming. _"It's everything! How can I love Naruto and him! That just can't be right...why do I feel this way for him!"_ She struggled with herself to fight off the feelings.

"So, what's life like in this village?" Raven asked as he sipped his tea.

"It's nice." She replied with a smile. "It's quiet and calm. The mornings are beautiful here, as well are the nights. Everyone is friendly and caring for one another." She looked at him and she felt short of breath. _"Why...? Damnit Sakura! You get a hold of yourself this instant! RAHHH!"_ Her innerself raged on.

"It seems perfect...I like it here. Reminds me of my home in the past..." He said as he kept looking out the window.

"Do you...have anything planed for tonight?" She asked. _"WHAT ARE YOU DOING YOU IDIOT!"_ Her innerself screamed at her. She was beginning to annoy herself.

Raven looked at her. "Hmm..." He thought to himself. "I have to visit back with my sister until 7:30 tonight...after that I'm free. Why?"

"Oh...well..." She blushed alittle._ "Damn you Haruno Sakura! You love Naruto! Not him!"_ Her innerself screamed. _"It's a harmless date you idiot! So shut up!"_ Sakura's own thoughts screamed back. "I just wanted to...see...well what I'm saying is..." She sighed. _"You suck Sakura!"_ Her innerself yelled. "...Do you want to go on a date?"

"A date?" Raven said suprised from the question. "Uh...um...well...Sure! Why not?" He agreed.

"_Score!"_ Sakura's thoughts yelled in joy as the inner Sakura shook her head. _"You're going to regret this..."_ She warned.

Outside of the village, Koubai and Mizu over look the village. Koubai pulls out a lunch pack and opens it. He eats some rice and chicken. Mizu stands looking at the village with no emotion on his face.

"So...what's your sad story of leaving your Village?" Koubai asked as he ate.

Mizu shifted his eyes to Koubai and looked at him coldly. "As you know...I come from the Hidden Mist..." He said in a calm monotone voice. He looked back down on the village. "I was a murderous child that only knew how to take orders...When I was 16 I was 2nd in command of the MMAU."

"MMAU?" Koubai asked.

"Mystical Mist Assassination Unit. The hidden mist black ops team. My squad leader along with 6 others tried to assassinate the Mizukage. I was the only one to survive after we failed...they imprisoned me and most of my village said that I only followed orders of my leaders, but the Mizukage sentanced me to death...So I escaped."

"Hmm...interesting..." Koubai said with his mouth half full.

A hawk yells out from above them.

Mizu, throws up a kunai and nails it. The hawk lands on the ground next to him with the kunai in it's wing. He looks at it. "Messenger..." He turns to it and puts his foot on it's head.

Koubai stops eating and looks at Mizu. "What are you...?"

Mizu crushes the hawks head under his weight and looks at the dead bird. He shows no emotion what so ever.

Koubai stares at him. "...You're sick...You know that?"

Mizu looks at him and turns back toward the village. He stares at the village with his cold eyes.


	11. As Dusk Falls

"Geez...I won't be able to sit down for a week now..." Naruto said, rubbing his butt while he walked down the street. He was heading home now. He looked at a town clock and it was 4:30. "Might as well get a shower..." He said to himself as he caught Sakura in the corner of his eye walking down another street. He walked up behind her. "Hey Sakura-chan!" He said with glee.

Sakura turned and her face dimmed some. She felt as if she lead him on. "Hey Naruto..." She said as she forced up a fake smile.

Naruto looked to the side with a smile. "I was wondering if you wanna do something later on tonight..." He asked bashfully.

The question seemed to stab Sakura in the heart. She had these feelings for Naruto as well, but she couldn't tell him about Raven. She felt extreamly guilty. "I...I'm going to be busy tonight. I have to help my mom with somethings...Sorry."

Naruto looked at her, disappointed some. "Oh...well maybe tomorrow then!" He said with a smile.

"Maybe..." Sakura responded.

Naruto turned towards his apartment. "Well, I'm headed home! I'll see you later Sakura-chan!" He walked off.

"Bye..." She looked down. "...Naruto..." She continued walking home. She felt as if she could cry right there and then. _"You deserve to feel this way..."_ Her innerself taunted. She made it home and noticed no one was there. She ran up stairs to her room and steped in. She closed the door and jumped on her bed with tears streaming down her face. "Naruto...I'm so sorry..."

Back in the hospital...

"With her!" Kage yelled in shock. Raven's head nodded. "B-b-but you've only been here two days!"

"I know..." He replied. "...But she's really cute. I don't mind a date."

"Raven...we are still on a mission...remember?"

"Don't worry...I won't get off track with the mission. Right now we are getting some R&R, so calm down."

"I don't want you getting all jazzed up about some date and forget out our mission...That's all." Kage looked at him seriously. She always worried about Raven and his emotional state. She didn't want him to get connected to this girl and head back home to never see her again. "They said I would be able to move about tomorrow."

"That's good. I want you to see this town with me...It's like home...before the massacre." Raven said as he looked down. "I miss thoses times with Kenai..." He felt Kage's arms wrap around him gentlely.

"I miss those times as well brother...but we should live for today. Fight for tomorrow...It's what Kenai would want us to do. He would want us to be great ninja's..."

"...I wish I could have done something to help him that day...I wish I wasn't a burden that he had to carry..." Raven said as a tear rolled down his cheek.

"You were never a burden to him Raven..." She looked up into Raven's teary eyes. "He died to protect someone he loved..." She wiped his tears away.

Raven embraced her close. "Thank you...sis..."

Else where, Tsundae sits in her office trying to figure out what papers need to go where...

"Shizune...please..." Tsundae begged.

"I'm sorry Tsundae-sama..." Shizune said as she walked to the door. "But me and Kakashi are going out again tonight..."

"Do you love him?"

Shizune stopped. She felt Tsundae's gaze fall on her and she smiled. "Hmmm...how could I not love him..." She said as she looked back at Tsundae. "Now be a good Hokage and do some work on your own." She walked out.

Tsundae sighed deeply as she laid back in her chair. She nearly nodded off until her office door opened. She looked up to see Konton and Kokou walk in. "Yes gentlemen?"

"Hokage-sama..." Kokou said as he lowered his head.

"We are worried about Konoha's situation with these two Shadow nin." Konton stated.

Tsundae looked at both of them. They were both promoted to Jonin just a year ago, but both had a keen sense of trouble. "Worried?" She said as she leaned forward and rested her chin on her hands. "Give me your overview of the situation."

"When we fought the boy at the gates, he was with another ninja. His sister...she was hurt badly and considering they were trained under the Shadow, someone or a group of people are watching this village that are stronger than us." Kokou explained.

"We also understand that we are not the strongest in Konoha, but we were practicly defeated by this lone ninja with ease. We are worried that they have brought enemies that we could have problems dealing with." Konton explained as well...

"You maybe correct about this situation..." She said seriously. "A messenger hawk did not return to us today...now you never know if it was attacked by something in the nature...or killed by another ninja before it could tell us there location." She looked at them seriously. "I want you two to be on gaurd and send a message to the gate guards to be alert at all times..."

"Yes Hokage-sama!" They both said together as they disappeared.

"_If Kokou and Konton are correct...then we could have a problem..."_ Tsundae thought to herself.

Shizune stepped outside and looked to her right to find Kakashi reading his perverted book again.

"It's quarter to 7...your out early..." Kakashi said as he looked up from the book at Shizune.

Shizune blushed. She loved it when he looked at her like that. "Well I was hoping to go home and take a shower..."

Kakashi's eye looked to the side. "Yeah...I could used one myself. I was training with Naruto...ahhh and they are working on the plumbing at my place...so..." He looked back at Shizune.

"_Kakashi...you perverted freak...I love you!"_ Shizune thought to herself. "You can come and use mine..." She said as she blushed more. Kakashi put away his book and walked up to her. He pulled down his mask and planted a loving kiss on her lips that melted her heart. She felt her knees go weak. Her eyes rolled into the back of her head as they closed to feel the sensation of the kiss.

Kakashi pulled away some. "To a warm shower we go..." he said with a sly grin on his face.

Back in Sakura's house, Sakura steps out of the shower herself. She needed the warmth of the water to calm her down and wash away her worries for the time being. She made her way to her room and closed her door. She stopped at her full body mirror and looked at herself. She turned to the side and looked at her butt. She was displeased with her body, seeing that Ino was now getting curves and bigger breasts. _"There are probably better looking girls back at home for Raven..."_ She thought to herself as she moved to her closest. She grabbed a pair of tight jeans and a low cut shirt. She dressed herself and fixed up her hair neatly. She looked in the mirror again. "I hope you like what you see Raven..." She said to the mirror in worry.


	12. A Date With Raven

Sakura left her house and walked toward the park where her and Raven agreed to meet. She was worried..._"Would he like me? What if he doesn't like my strawberry perfume? I hope my hair is alright..."_ Tons of thoughts rushed through her about about her looks. She never was satisfied with the way she presented herself. The crowds in the streets have died down and only the night goers were out. She caught Kakashi and Shizune walking down another street. Shizune was leaning her head on Kakashi's shoulder as they walked.

Raven sat on the bidge entrance of the park. He looked at the sky and thought about his brother. He felt a presence and looked behind him. It was her...Sakura. She looked very attractive and smelled like beauty. He smiled. "Well good evening Sakura. Care to join me for a walk?" He asked as he rose to his feet. His eyes couldn't help, but wonder up and down her body. She seemed perfect...

Sakura blushed and smiled some. "Sure. Where to?" She asked.

Raven walked up to the side of her and hooked her arm with his. "I was thinking a nice dinner and then we'll see from there..." He looked into her eyes. They were so beautiful to him...so innocent and sweet.

Sakura felt her heart jump when he looked at her. His eye's seemed to have changed some...they felt warmer than before. "I'm up for that." She walked along with him.

"So...Sakura..." He looked at her. She looked back at him. "What made you ask me out on this date?" He asked.

Sakura blushed. "Well...you are handsome I'll admit that and you are something new around here, so I thought that I should see for myself..." She blushed even more after repling.

"Oh..." Raven looked at her cheeks. "Embarassed?"

"Very..." Sakura said timidly. "I'm usually not like this at all, the only other person I dated really was..." She paused and thought about Naruto. It hurt her deeply to think of him at this moment, but what he doesn't know won't hurt him. "...Naruto."

"This Naruto guy seems to be pretty interesting...I would like to meet him one day." Raven said.

"I'll introduce you to him sometime..." Sakura lied. She never wanted them both to meet, let alone know of each other.

They walked to the most expensive resturant in town. Sakura noticed this and was suprised he led her here. "Raven, this place is too expensive for me! I don't have the money!" She said as she looked to him.

Raven smiled back at her. "Don't worry about it. My treat for a night on the town with a cute cherry blossom." The words struck Sakura and left her speechless. She didn't expect him to be so caring. They both went in and took their seats.

A waiter walked over. "May I take your orders?"

Raven nodded to Sakura to go first. Sakura smiled and looked to the waiter. "I'll have a ceasar salad, Mushu Pork with the sweet and sour sause. Beef dumplings and a spring roll. Thank you." She looked back at Raven. She saw Sasuke for a second and shook her head. _"He looks like Sasuke in a strange way..."_ She thought to herself.

"I'll have some beef lo-mein, garlic beef and 2 spring rolls, please." Raven said to the waiter.

"Drinks?" The waiter asked after writing down their meals.

"Strawberry tea please. Sweetend." Sakura asked.

"Green tea please." Raven asked.

"Alright, it will be ready shorty." Said the waiter

Raven's eyes fell back onto Sakura once more. He never thought anyone could be so cute, but he found her. He hair looked soft and her eyes were amazing. Her perfume made her smell innocent. It drove him crazy almost, but inside...he felt something was wrong. He felt out of place to her in a strange way.

Else where in the towns movie theatre, Shizune and Kakashi watch another movie. It was a romance movie filled with action. Earlier they both were indulged in the action scene, but Shizune got close to Kakashi and snuggled with him durning the romantic scene. Kakashi looked down at Shizune and kissed her on her forehead. She looked up at her with a smile.

"I love you Kakashi..." Shizune said quietly.

"I love you too Shizune..." Kakashi replied as he kissed her on the lips this time.

In the streets, Naruto walks along. He's been bored out of his mind and wished that Sakura wasn't busy. He thought about her and he felt warm. He always wanted to be acknowledged by everyone, but to be loved and cared for by her...it couldn't be better. He smiled as the thoughts of him and Sakura on his couch went through his head. He walked past Ino's shop, but stopped when he heard his name called. "Huh?" He looked back. Ino was standing there. "Ino..."

Ino turned to the shop door and locked it. She closed up for tonight and she looked at Naruto. "I thought you were with Sakura, Naruto?" She asked.

"No...Sakura said she would be busy with her mother today. I've been wondering around all day..." He replied.

"That's funny..." Ino rubbed her chin and looked up. "Sakura was walking with someone then...it was pretty far away. I thought it was you." She said. "That was about a little over an hour ago..."

Naruto looked at her confused. "Are you sure?" He asked.

"I'm pretty sure. They were walking toward Harono's Bistro. Pretty expensive place, but I heard the food is great."

Naruto thought to himself..._"Harono's Bistro..."_ He looked up to Ino. "Well, I'll just head over there. I'll see you later Ino-chan." He waved.

"Later Naruto." She waved back and went the opposite way home.

Naruto began to walk toward the Bistro. _"Maybe Sakura went out to eat with her mom tonight..."_ He thought to himself.

In the resturant, Sakura and Raven finish their food and sit back. Raven sips on his tea and looks outside at the moon. Sakura looks at him and giggles. Raven looks back at her in confusion. "What?" He asks.

"You really like to look off at things, don't you?" She said.

Raven smiled and looked back at the moon. "I get lost in my thoughts alot. I mostly send my time alone."

"You don't spend your time with your sister?" Sakura asked.

"Kage means alot to me, but she spends most of her time training to become one of the greatest ninja's ever." Raven looked down. "One day she will surpass me, but I won't hate her for it. In fact...I will be proud. Her dreams were always to bring back the country of Shadow to it's origanal state..." He looked at Sakura. "I will do anything for her to see that her dream comes true, just like you would do anything to see Naruto's dream come true."

Sakura looked down at the sound of Naruto's name. It still hurt...

"Speaking of Naruto..." Raven started. "Sakura..." He saw her look up at him. "Do you love him?"

The question seemed to stab her in the heart. _"Do I love him...?"_ She thought. _"Of course I love him...,but...Raven...I have these feelings for you as well..."_ "I do..."

"Then please cut your feelings for me..." He said seriously.

Sakura looked up at him in suprise. _"Did he read my mind?"_ She looked down again. "...I'm sorry...I don't know what it is about you..."

"Naruto needs you there for him...and you need Naruto. When I leave from this village after my mission is complete, I probably will never see you again Sakura. Don't waste love over something you will only be able to love for alittle while." Raven looked into Sakura's eyes. He knew she didn't want to let him go. "Sakura...I'm asking this of you...do this for me."

Sakura was strong...she knew she was strong when it came to fighting and being a ninja, but...emotions are devestating. There are no Jutsus that can help it...no techniques...no nothing. She tried her best to keep the tears back, but couldn't. She got up and walked outside.

"Sakura!" Raven called out, but Sakura was already outside. He left 11,257.50 Yen _(100 U.S. Dollars)_ on the table and rushed out to find Sakura crying near a light pole. He walked over. "Sakura..."

Sakura grabbed him and hugged him close. "Raven..." She looked up at him. Tears streaming down her eyes.

"So...you were busy...huh Sakura." A voice called out from the shadows.

Sakura looked over. Her stomach churned and her mouth felt dry and sick. Her eyes welled up even more. The voice turned into a figure that stepped out from the shadows. It was him...It was Naruto. "Naruto...I..."

"I see how you truely are Sakura..." Naruto said. He tried his best to say emotionless, but tears of his own streamed down his face. He gritted his teeth. "You led me on...you betrayed me Sakura."

"Naruto...please! I can explain!" Sakura cried out to him as she broke away from Raven.

"You're just like Sasuke!" He yelled.

Sakura couldn't say anymore...She knew it was true...She was at fault. She wanted to believe it wasn't her fault. She wanted to say it was her feelings and not her, but feelings are another person...it is what's inside of a person.

"I...I loved you Sakura...I truely started to love you and you leave me." Naruto looked down as he tears that lay on the street. "I've been alone before in my life, but never have I felt so alone as I do now..."

"Naruto..." Sakura felt as if she had killed the one she loved.

"Goodbye Sakura...now...and forever." Naruto said as he ran down the street.

"Naruto!" Sakura cried out. She chased after him.

"Damn..." Raven said under his breath as he rushed to follow them.

"Naruto!" Sakura cried out once more, but Naruto wasn't slowing down. She felt as if she had crushed everything they had. All the friends he's made and his happy times with them. She had taken it all away and left him with nothing. She knew she didn't deserve forgiveness..._"I probably never will..."_


	13. Naruto's Rage

Naruto was in the training area. He landed on the ground and stopped. Sakura landed behind him and right behind her was Raven. She looked at Naruto with tears bluring her vision. "Naruto..." Sakura cried out once more. She hated herself...She hated her feelings, but still it was her fault that Naruto felt this way.

"Why do you still chase me Sakura?" Naruto said without looking back. "You chose him over me..."

"Because Naruto...I still have feelings for you..." She said.

"Don't lie to me damnit!" Naruto yelled. "Why should I even listen to you and your lies..." He looked back at her with hate in his eyes. "I hate you..."

Those words seemed to echo in Sakura's mind. _"He...hates me..."_ All those years...all the missions and all the hardships that have went through don't mean anything at this moment. Naruto was hurt...hurt to the point where he didn't care for anyone. She said he was like Sasuke...she felt that she was worse than Sasuke...Sasuke didn't take his heart and lead it on, then smash it. She did...She looked at him, but he turned his head back forward...He didn't want to see her and she could understand. Raven walked up to Naruto's back...

"Naruto...I can explain to you the sit..." He tried to put his hand on Naruto's shoulder, but Naruto turned quickly and slapped it away. Raven looked at the hate in Naruto's eyes...

"And you..." Naruto clinched his fist... "Why did you have to come here!" He yelled out as he threw a right hook at Raven, but it was blocked with ease. Naruto threw countless punches at him, but Raven dodged with ease. Naruto was getting pissed and his Chakra intensified.

"_His chakra is growing..."_ Raven thought as he dodged Naruto's punches. He wasn't too keen on Taijutsu. His attacks were wild, but predictiable. Nothing was special about this ninja...as Raven thought...Naruto couldn't be a ninja with these skills at all. Raven jumped back from a haymaker that nearly connected. "Naruto...Please...calm down." He pleaded. "I understand how you feel..."

"You understand nothing about how I feel!" Naruto screamed. "I've always wanted to be with Sakura...but you..." His eye color turned red. "...You've only been here for two days and Sakura is head over heels for you!" Naruto made his Bunshin seal. "What's so special about you...? What does Sakura see in you that isn't in me...?" Naruto glared at him with intent to kill. "Kage Bunshin no Jutsu! _(Shadow Doppelganger Technique)_" Naruto yelled out as 12 more of him appeared.

"_Kage Bunshin no Jutsu...Pretty good for his talents..."_ "Please Naruto...let's not fight this out. Sakura is right here and..."

"Sakura means nothing to me now..." Naruto growled.

Sakura's eyes filled with tears. Those words hurt...they hurt too much. She fell to her knees in tears and sobbed. _"What have I done...?"_ She thought to herself.

Raven looked back at Sakura. "Sakura..." His eyes widened as he looked back. One of the Naruto's was in the air with a kick aimed for his head. Raven turned and with one quick motion parried the kick down with his left hand, then sent a palm strike into his stomach. It disappeared in a cloud of smoke. "Bunshin..." He saw another rush at him through the smoke and swing wildly at him. He ducked and dodged with ease, then ducked low and swept Naruto off of his feet with a foot sweep. Raven spun around and saw another Naruto jumping over the one he swept with a fist aimed at him. Raven swung his leg up and around, then heel smashed that Naruto into the one he swept. They both disappeared. _"Fighting him one on one is easy, but his attacks with his bushin's are so unorganized that it's hard to predict where the next strike may come from..."_ Raven thought to himself. He saw another rush at him and wind up for a punch. His eye also caught 2 closing in on both sides of him. He jumped up over the punch that was thrown at him and he grabbed it, at the same time he skillfully thrusted his legs outward doing a split and nailing both Narutos in the face. They both disappeared. He then pushed himself off Naruto's arm and drop kicked him in the face, pushing off and landing gracefully. That Naruto disappeared as well. "6 Bunshin down...6 to go..."

Naruto was getting frustrated. Raven's defensive stills seemed to surpass Neji's...They had to be. Because he _beat_ Neji today...

Sakura watched...her heart raced with every attack Raven countered...hoping that he wouldn't get hurt...but also hoping that it wasn't Naruto. She didn't want to watch this fight...a fight that started because of her selfish ways.

Raven looked at the rest of the Naruto's. He quickly molded chakra and form the Ryo _(Dragon)_ and the Hebi _(Serpent)_ seals. "Kage Kirite no Jutsu! _(Shadow Cutter Technique)_" Raven chanted as wind rushed past him and toward the Narutos.

Naruto was on his toes waiting for the attack...,but saw nothing. His eyes widened when he saw the rest of his clones get shredded. He looked at Raven with hate boiling in his eyes.

"Naruto...please...stop this now. I don't want to hurt you..." Raven didn't want to cause any trouble here. He didn't want to strike Naruto at all...his situation went from a date to trying to talk his way out of a battle.

"Oh...you'll hurt me..." He rushed at Raven. "But you'll be dead when I get done with you!" He baseball slid at Raven's legs.

Raven jumped over him, but looked at another Naruto that was right behind the one that slid. "One I didn't see?" He couldn't react fast enough and was caught with a heavy right hook from Naruto. He fell back and was caught over the other Naruto's head and thrown. He hit the ground and slid for 7 feet. He pushed himself to his feet, but felt a pressure coming at him. He looked up to see Naruto rushing at him with a blue ball of chakra. _"W-what is that! The...pressure...!"_ Suddenly his vision was blocked and the smell of strawberrys fell on his sense of smell. "Sakura!"

"Naruto!" Sakura cried out with tears streaming from her eyes. She blocked Naruto's only shot at Raven.

Naruto's hate seemed to die instantly when he saw her, but...he couldn't stop his momentum. He wouldn't be able to re-direct the attack. "Sakura!" He didn't want to hurt her...he...he still cared and loved her.

Sakura closed her eyes, but she felt someone step in front of her. He looked and it was Raven. _"Raven...not him..."_ She thought. Her mind raced and everything was moving in slow motion.

Raven felt the pressure of the attack coming close and he closed his eyes as it got close. He knew that it could possibly kill him...but at least Sakura would be safe.

Not a second too soon did a figure appear, grabbing Naruto's wrist and swung him around. The attack barely missed Raven. Naruto's Rasengan was thrown into the ground were it seemd to just disappear. Naruto looked up in shock and Sakura looked as well. Raven looked at the ninja who was casually dressed as well. White hair with his forehead protector crooked and his mask covering half his face. Raven's mind flashed back pictures his father had shown him of a man who was his father's best friend, who had killed himself.

It was Kakashi...

He looked at Naruto. "I've never seen you with a intent to kill like that one, Naruto..." Kakashi let Naruto's wrist go and stood up. He looked back at Raven and Sakura who was standing behind him timidly. "Is everyone ok?" He saw Raven and Sakura nod. Shizune walked up to them.

"Why were you two fighting?" Shizune demanded, but before she could get a response, the ground beneth everyone started to crack and give away. Kakashi, Shizune, Raven and Sakura jumped to safety, while Naruto jumped the opposite direction. The ground fell inward 20 feet and 20 feet around.

Raven looked in shock. _"I could have been...obliterated."_

Naruto looked at everyone on the other side of the pit. He looked down as tears welled up in his eyes again. His rage was gone and all that was left was sadness and sorrow. He was alone again...He quickly jumped to the trees and took off.

"Naruto!" Sakura called out. She was about to chase him again, but felt a hand grasp her shoulder. She looked back at Kakashi.

"It's because you are with Raven..." Kakashi looked at Sakura. "...Isn't it?"

Sakura looked down. It was all her fault...No matter how much she tried to deny it to herself, she knew that it wouldn't bring Naruto back to her. She couldn't touch him anymore or hug onto him anymore. She couldn't speak to him and with not being able to do all those things to him, it just hurt to think about him. "I'm sorry Kakashi-sensei..." She wiped her eyes. "I...I lied to him." She started to break down now. "I lied to him and I led him on! But I love him!" She fell to her knees holding herself tightly. Raven kneeled down and embraced her close. "I do love him...I do..."

"Shhh...Sakura...It will be alright." Raven said, trying to console her. He looked up at Kakashi.

Kakashi sighed deeply and looked at Raven. "Please...take her home and if you don't mind. Stay with her for the night."

Raven nodded and he scooped Sakura up in his arms and held her close. Raven stood and looked at Kakashi. "Before I go...can I ask you a question?"

"What is it?"

Raven looked down. "Are you related to Hatake Sakumo?" He asked quietly.

Kakashi looked up at the stary sky. "He was my father...a great man that I always wanted to be like."He looked back at Raven. "Why do you ask?"

Raven looked at Kakashi once more. "Our fathers were best friends at one time." He smiled.

Kakashi smiled as well. "Musei Kosei's son eh? Hmmm...small world. Please...keep a eye on Sakura here."

Raven nodded. "I will Kakashi-sempai." He gracefully and gently jumped to the trees back toward the houses.

Shizune looked at Kakashi. "Should we go after Naruto?"

"No..." Kakashi looked at where Naruto headed. "Let him cool off some..."

Raven landed on Sakura's roof Silently to make sure her parent's don't know he's there. He looked at Sakura. She was asleep..._"She's probably tired from everything that has been going on..."_ He thought to himself as he slid her window open. He sliped into her room. The smell was heavenly to his nose, but he shook the thoughts away and laid Sakura on her bed. He looked at her...she ment alot to him already in the short period of time he's known her. He looked at a dark corner near the head of the bed and took a seat there. He soon fell asleep himself.


	14. The Attack On Konoha

Sakura looked around in the darkness that she was in. She couldn't see anything, but herself. She heard Naruto's voice echoing _"I hate you...You're just like Sasuke!"_ "Naruto! Please! I'm sorry!" _"Don't lie to me damnit!"_ Sakura looked down. "I did lie...I lied because I wanted to feel happy with Raven, but I couldn't feel happy with you as well..."

"_Sakura...please cut your feelings for me..."_ Raven's voice called out.

"It's not that easy! I just want to be happy...that's all..." Sakura looked up and saw herself helping Kage with her wounds. Her imaged blushed. _"Heh...well...I do like him. He means everything to me now."_ Sakura looked down once more. "He does...mean everything to me. I know what I have to do now..." The darkness around her turned into white and she disappeared...

Sakura opened her eyes to the sound of her mother knocking on her door. She snaped up and looked around. "...I'm home..." She said.

"Sakura? Are you awake in there?" Her mother opened the door and looked at her. "My my, you must have been tired when you got in and what did I tell you about sleeping in your clothes, Sakura."

Sakura looked down. "Sorry mom..."

"Well...I'm making breakfast so get a shower and come an eat." Her mother said as he left the room closing the door behind her.

Sakura sighed deeply and thought about last night. The violence was intense...too intense. Naruto could have killed Raven if Kakashi hadn't stopped him. She stood up and streatched.

"Sakura..." Raven quietly called out from somewhere unsee in the room.

Sakura looked around confused. "Raven? Where are you?" She asked quietly.

"Down here..."

Sakura looked down at Raven whose head was sticking up from the floor...just his head. "Ahh..." She covered her mouth as she looked at him. "Where's...the rest...of your body?"

Raven's eyes were closed. "I'm in your shadow...now please sit down because I don't need to see your panties."

Sakura realized she had a skirt on and dropped quickly onto the bed. She watched Raven rise from the shadow and stand in front of her. "What kind of Jutsu was that?" She asked in amazement.

"Kage Suterusu no Jutsu..." It's a bloodline technique of my family. The free will to move from shadow to shadow at any given time.

Sakura looked at him. "...I'm sorry for this mess..." She looked down. "It's all my fault this happened."

"Hey hey...it's alright. We all make mistakes, but we can fix them." He tried to cheer her up, but caught the time on her clock. "8:00 already?" He looked back at Sakura. "I have to see my sister. I'll see you later ok?" He was suprised when she hugged him around his waist. Her head pressing on his stomach. "Sakura..."

"I'm going to find Naruto...and tell him that I love him..." She looked up at Raven. "Thank you Raven...for everything..." She let go.

Raven smiled. _"I'm glad she picked him over me..."_ He thought about Naruto and his anger. It's been awhile since Raven was in a life threatening situation like the one last night. _"Naruto as a Hokage...I believe it..."_ He sunk into his shadow and disappeared from Sakura's house.

Naruto was in his house sitting on his couch, depressed about everything that happened last night. He didn't want to accept the fact that a random ninja could come along and steal Sakura's heart from him. He wasn't depressed about that...but the fact that Raven was stronger than him. It made him want to train, but he was in no mood. _"His counters were as if he had the Sharingan himself...So that is a Shadow ninja."_ He thought to himself. He cheered up some knowing that Gaara of the Sand would be here soon. Naruto got up and headed outside...the world seemed different since he lost last night to Raven.

In the hospital, Raven walked into his sisters room and saw that she was in full gear. She was wearing her leather shoulder armor with her black leather breast protection bra. Her upperbody was covered in a tight mesh tank top. She had her leather forearm protectors on as well. Her waist sported a black muffler with the two ends hanging from her lower back. She sported a sideless dress and mesh around her legs. Her two sword sheaths gleamed at Raven. Kage turned around and looked at him. "You're late Raven..."

Raven looked at her. "Ahhh...yeah...Mission status?" He asked.

"Gaara of the Sand should be here any moment...so I suggest you get in your ninja attire and meet me at the Hokage building ASAP." She looked at him seriously.

"Right." Raven nodded. He ran out of the hospital and toward the Inn he was staying in.

Outside of the village. Mizu gives Koubai a signal. Koubai walks up and looks at the path to the main gate. "There he is..." Koubai said with a evil grin on his face. "Gaara of the Sand..."

"Let's report back to Naganobu..." Mizu said as he turned to walk back to camp.

"Let's just take out Gaara now..." Koubai said. "We don't need everyone else..."

Mizu didn't look back. "Our orders were to wait until Naganobu gave the signal..."

Koubai looked back at Mizu. "Orders this and orders that! All you do is take orders...let's show that we can handle this situation on our own and..."

Before Koubai could say anything else Mizu quickly turned and put his katana to Koubai's throat. "Do you dare disobey orders?" Mizu looked at him with a cold gaze. "Orders are stratigic plans given to men to follow for a mission to be sucessfully carried out. Disobey those orders and our mission will be in jeapordy and if the mission is in jeapordy..." He presses the katana to Koubai's neck. "...our lives are in jeapordy..."

Koubai knew that Mizu wouldn't hesitate to kill him. Koubai smiled and walked past Mizu toward the camp. Mizu put his katana away and looked down at Gaara who was at the gates. He turned and headed back to camp with Koubai.

Gaara made his way toward the Hokage office building. He was now well respected, but still feared. Aoba didn't like standing next to him at all, but Genma was on his toes. Even inside of the village he was worried.

Sakura made it out of her house finally. She was dressed normally now. She made her way across town and stood near the Academy. He looked at the building and old memories came flooding in...she looked over at the tree with the swing and found Naruto sitting there. _"...I know he hates me..."_ She thought to herself. _"But I have to tell him..."_ She forced herself to make her way over to him. She hid timidly near the tree.

"What do you want now, Sakura?" Naruto said sadly. "Come here to yell at me about how I could have killed your new boyfriend?"

"No..." She stepped up next to him. "...it's about my feelings for you." She looked at him. She saw his eyes shift toward her. "No lies this time Naruto...I love you with all my heart Naruto. I do...I just want you to forgive me for everything that has happened..." She looked down. "For all the pain that I have caused you..."

Naruto looked at her. "Sakura..."

Raven ran out of the inn in his gear. He looked down the street and saw Sakura and Naruto. A smile came to his face. _"I'm guessing that everything will be fine now..."_ Raven thought to himself...

Gaara reached the office and met with Kage. "Nice to meet you Kage..." Gaara said. He saw something in her eyes he hasn't really seen to much of in his life. This girl wasn't afraid of him one bit. _"So this is a Shadow nin..."_ He thought to himself.

Outside of the village, Naganobu's ground surrounds the village. Naganobu looks down on the town he wishes to crush with a sick, twisted smile on his face. "This time...Konoha will be left in flames and death..." He threw a kunai into the air with a flash note on it. The note went off and lit up brightly.

The ninja's rush toward the village. The guards see this and raise the alarm.

Before Naruto could say anything else to Sakura, his head snapped up. "The alarm!" He looked around. "All around us!"

Sakura was shocked. "Could it be a mass attack!" She looked around as villagers rushed to the evac areas.

Raven looked around. "Damnit! It must be them..." He rushed over to Naruto and Sakura. "Naruto! Sakura! It's them..." He said with worry.

Naruto looked at him, forgetting all about there problems. "Who's them!" Naruto demanded.

"The ninja's that attacked me...We must becareful! They are deadly...Naruto, take Sakura somewhere safe..."

"I'm not going to leave you behind Raven!" Sakura yelled.

Raven looked at her, suprised. "Sakura..."

Sakura looked at Raven with a serious look on her face. "We fight together..." She looks down at Naruto. "The three of us can take on anything that comes our way..."

Outside of the village, the wall guards fire arrows at Tanku who rushes toward the wall. The arrows bounce off of him, doing no damage. He grins as he winds up. "HAAAAAAA!" He screams as he punches through the wall and rushes into the town. 3 ninja step in his way. "Ahhh...my first victims!" He sees the first one rush at him, but Tanku grabs him by the head with his large hand and holds him up. "Let there be..." He squeezes and crushes the ninja's skull. "BLOOD!" He yelled out as blood slipped through his fingers. The other two ninja's shook in fear of his power. "Next..." He said gritting his teeth. He threw the body to the side and peered past the ninja's at the Hokage office and there stood Gaara of the Sand. His blood boiled...a sand nin...a powerful sand nin that he wanted dead. He rushed past the two ninja's and toward Gaara.

Kage grabbed the handle of her sword, but saw another ninja step in the path of Tanku. "Who is he...?"

Genma looked and knew who is was. "He can't beat him..." Genma said.

Tanku looked at his new opponent. He wore a wave cap over his hair and a iron senbon in his mouth. He was big, but no where near the size of Tanku.

It was Konton...

"Get out of there Konton!" Aoba yelled. "You'll be killed!"

"Right now our main priority is to protect Gaara and Hokage-sama!" Konton yelled as he pulled out two iron balls. They melted and formed with his fists. He took his fighting stance and looked at Tanku. _"Damn...he's big..."_

Gaara knew of this ninja...Teuyoi Tanku. Gaara heard of him from the ANBU reports. No one could beat him. His body is that of a human tank and his power is unmatched by anyone. _"This Konton...will die..."_


	15. The Battle With Tanku

Konton looked into Tanku's eyes. They were filled with a sick passion for death and suffering. Tanku grined. He would make quick work of this new trouble the stood before him. Konton wasted no time in thinking about how to beat Tanku, he rushed in at him. "I won't let you harm this village!" He shouted as he sent countless haymakers into the face of Tanku. Konton was known to have the most powerful punches next to Tsundae, but Tanku didn't even flinch from the strikes.

Tanku saw another haymaker come at him, so he met the attack with a punch of his own. He heard the cracking of Konton's elbow as his arm was thrown back.

Konton's hand was shattered, even with the iron casting. Plus his arm had snapped back so hard, that his elbow broke and his arm fell out of place. "AHHHH!" Konton stumbled back screaming in pain. He fell to one knee and looked up at the towering Tanku.

"Aww...broken already? That was just a love tap..." He chuckled. "You aren't worthy of being a ninja...let alone alive." He taunted.

Konton gritted his teeth in anger. _"Damnit...seals are out of the question now..."_ He thought to himself. _"Have to keep him busy..."_

Tanku laughed, but his eyes caught Aoba and Genma rushing at him. "More fun..." He prepared himself.

Aoba formed the Uma _(Horse)_ and Tora _(Tiger)_ seals. "Katon: Gokakyu no Jutsu! _(Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique)_" He chanted as he blew a huge fireball at Tanku.

"That looks hot..." Tanku said with a sick grin, as he drove his hands into the ground and pulled up a large piece of the street. He stood behind it as the fire hit.

"How did he!" Aoba cried out as he stopped his Jutsu.

Genma jumped over the rock shield and looked down at Tanku from the air. He spat his senbon at Tanku's head, but it bounced off. "This guy is a tank...!" He saw Tanku swing and throw the huge piece of cement at him. Genma stabbed a kunai deep into the rock with wire connected to it, then threw another Kunai at Tanku with the same stream of wire connected.

Tanku caught it and already knew Genma's plan. "I'm stronger than that!" He yanked the wire back and the rock jerked back down toward's Genma again.

Genma was falling now, but he turned after making the Nezuni _(Rat)_ and Tora _(Tiger)_ seals. "Katon: Ryuka no Jutsu! _(Fire Release: Dragon Fire Technique)_" He chanted as he spewed fire along the wire toward the rock. The rock become a huge fireball falling toward Genma and Tanku. Genma threw Aoba at kunai with a wire attached to it. Aoba caught it and yanked Genma out of the path of the flaming rock.

Tanku looked up. "Eh..." The rock smashed him into the ground.

Genma landed and looked. "Hmm...one down." He said with a grin.

Konton looked at the burning rubble in front of him. _"Wow...Genma and Aoba did it..."_ Konton looked back with a smile. "Couldn't have done it any better Genma!"

The rubble exploded as Tanku rose from it, with death in his eyes as he looked down on Konton. He balled up his fists and put them over his head.

Konton looked in horror as the last second. "Oh...god..." He thought those would be his final words before he was crushed under Tanku's power, but a huge hand shielded him from the attack.

Tanku looked at the hand he hit. "A hand?" He looked up to see two more ninjas...fat ones. "Boy...now we have fatass ninja's here to try and save the day. I must have disturbed your all you can eat lunch."

Akimichi Choza and Choji stood there. Facing Tanku with seriousness written all over them. Konton took this moment to run back to Genma and Aoba. Choza pulled his arm back to normal size. "I owe you one Choza!" Konton yelled out.

Choza looked at him. "You better treat me to a buffet after this!" He damanded.

"You won't live to see that buffet fatty..."

"Don't call my father that!" Choji yelled. He was pissed now. He pulled a bunch of kunai around him and formed the O-hitsuji _(Ram)_ seal. "Nikudan Hari Sensha! _(Spiked Human Bullet Tank)_" Choji yelled out as he pulled his head, arms and legs into his clothes and blew his body up.

Choza also formed the O-hitsuji _(Ram)_ seal. "Baika no Jutsu! _(The Art of Body Expansion)_" He chanted as his right arm expanded and became huge. He picked up Choji and looked at Tanku.

Tanku grined once more. "Ohh...batter up!" He ripped a light pole out of the ground and cocked it back as Choza threw Choji at him. Tanku swung the light pole and nailed Choji sending him flying past Choza and toward Gaara. Gaara's sand automaticly caught Choji gently.

Choza looked back at Choji. "Choji!" He looked in worry as Choji's body returned to normal. Choji was knocked out from the counter attack. Choza looked back at Tanku with rage in his eyes.

"Awww...I'm out! Heh...well I guess so is your fatty son!" Tanku laughed.

"He's too powerful..." Genma said.

Choza expanded his other arm and pulled them back. "How bout this for fat!" He swung his hands around and smashed Tanku between them. "Fat ninja's aren't useless..." His eyes grew wide as he felt Tanku push his hands away.

"You're the strongest person...I've fought on a physical basis..." He grined as he looked up, but his facial expression droped when he met the cold eyes of Gaara.

"My turn..." Gaara said as his sand formed a fist, he drove it into Tanku's stomach sending Tank stumbling back.

Tanku caught his footing. "Ahhh..." He held his stomach. _"It's been awhile since I felt pain..."_ He looked at Gaara. "Fine then...No more games." He cracked his knuckles and eyed Gaara up.

Gaara looked at him with a cold glare. He knew that he was in for a tough battle, but showed no signs of worry. "Time to do the Sand a favor...and kill you..."


	16. Gaara of the Sand Vs Tanku

Gaara's sands moved around his body, ready for defense or offense. Tanku sneered and knew that Gaara's sands could pose a problem for him in the long run. It would be best to take Gaara out quickly and move onto Raven.

Gaara looked back at Kage. "Please assist the rest of the ninja's in the village. I will handle this one." He looked back at Tanku.

"Are you sure?" Kage asked. She didn't want to endanger her mission by letting Gaara be killed, but he was a higher rank than her.

"I am...now go." Gaara said with his monotone voice. Kage rushed off to find her brother. "Now...time to get rid of this stain on the history of the Hidden Sand."

Tanku chuckled. "Try me..." He said with a look of death in his eyes. Tanku rushed at Gaara, but stumbled back from stiff blows of Gaara's sand.

Gaara had the upperhand when it came to range. Tanku's attacks were basic and limited to a few. Gaara's sand hit Tanku from everyside. He made the sand pick Tanku up and send him into a building hard and back out. He stopped his attacks and looked at Tanku.

Tanku slowly stood to his feet. He looked at Gaara with hatred pulsating from him. "My turn..." He walked toward Gaara.

Gaara sent a shot of sand at him, but was suprised with Tanku slapped it away with ease. He sent more and more that would just be repeled by the power of Tanku. Tanku finally got in close enough to strike Gaara. _"He's too slow...his attacks are useless at this distance."_ Garra thought to himself.

Tanku cocked back and swung at Gaara. The sand formed in front of the oncoming attack, but Tanku's power was too much for it and his punch blasted through the sand. He missed by a inch of Gaara's head. "Damn!" He shouted.

Gaara was shocked that Tanku possessed this much power. To the point where his sand could only throw the attack off by alittle. Gaara ducked another punch as his sand formed to protect him. _"As long at the sand forms and shows me where the next strike will be, I should be ok..."_ Gaara thought as he backed up.

Tanku was getting annoyed. He balled his fists up and pulled him over his head as he molded his chakra into them. "Jishin Tokkan! _(Earthquake Rush)_" Tank yelled out as he smashed his fists into the ground sending a line of powerful chakra at Gaara through the ground.

Gaara saw the ground split apart as the attack came near. He held his hands outward toward the attack and built up a sand shield. The attack stuck the shield and nearly broke it. Gaara let the sand fall back down to the ground, but he saw that Tanku was already rushing at him. He molded his chakra and it formed sand infront of him. "Saiko Zattai Bogyo: Shukaku no Tate..._(Extreme Hard Ultimate Defense: Shield of Shukaku)_" Gaara chanted as the sand formed a Shukaku sculpture that stood in Tanku's way.

Tanku saw this and rushed harder. He lowered his shoulder and ramed the figure, but didn't cause much damage at all. He looked at the figure. _"Damn...that's hard..."_ He thought to himself. "Alright..." He cocked his arm back and gathered all the chakra he could. "RAHHHHH!" He swung. The ground beneth him cracked deeply as he nailed the figure and broke it. He rushed at Gaara again, who covered himself up in a sand ball. Tanku swung again and punched through the ball and swung his other arm, landing with the same result. He felt his hands grab Gaara and the sand ball fell apart, but Tanku was holding a smiling sand figure of Gaara with a exploding note hanging from it's mouth. "Exploding tag?"

The tag exploded, blowing everything in a 10 meter radius up. Gaara stood from a distance and looked. The smoke was too thick to see the results of the blast, but Gaara felt Tanku rushing at him again! Gaara reacted quickly to where the sand started to build before Tanku landed a blow as he rushed from the smoke. Gaara added more sand onto the auto shield, but Tanku punched through it, nailing Gaara in the face. He stumbled, but kept trying to stop the punches. Gaara took heavy blows to the face and body. After another shot to the head, Gaara rolled back and looked at Tanku. He made the sands form around Tanku. "Sabaku Kyu..._(The Coffin of Crushing Sand)_" Gaara chanted as the sands trapped Tanku. Gaara held his hand out open. "Sabaku Soso..._(Imploding Sand Funeral)_" Gaara chanted as he closed his hand.

Tanku felt the extreme pressure of the sand trying to crush him, but Tanku's power was still to great for Gaara's sands. He pushed outward and broke through the sands with a battle cry. He looked at a suprised Gaara as he spit out some sand. "Weak...all that managed to do was get sand in my mouth."

Gaara couldn't believe that his techniques were being countered by force, but an idea hit him when he looked at Tanku. Gaara's sand start to spin aroun him like a storm. "Sabuku Boufuu..._(Sand Storm)_" He chanted.

Tanku rushed at Gaara again and swung. As usual, Gaara's sands tried to stop his attacks, but he was too powerful. He nailed Gaara with rights and lefts. He cocked back and sent a heavy haymaker to the face of Gaara.

Gaara flew back spinning in mid air. He hit the ground hard and laid there with blood streaming from his nose and mouth. "Ahh...ahhh..." Gaara moaned in pain as he saw Tanku stand over him.

Tanku grabbed Gaara around his neck and pulled him into the air. He looked into Gaara's eyes. "Such unpleasant eyes you have...Gaara of the Sand..." He grined. "How bout I squeeze them out of your head?" Tanku's grip tightened.

Gaara grined at Tanku. "They say...that the only way you can beat a tank isn't from the outside..." He started...Tanku felt his hand let go of Gaara. Gaara landed on his feet looking up at Tanku. "...but from the inside..."

Tanku didn't understand this pain in his hand that shifted down his arm into his chest. "Ahhh...What...is this!" He cried out in pain.

"I noticed that, even an exploding tag couldn't harm you, or my crushing techniques, but when you spit out the sand. You gave me the idea to let bits of my sand enter your body through your mouth, ears and nose." Gaara watched as Tanku fell to his knees. "Right now..." Gaara held his open hand out in Tanku's face. "...the sand should be enclosing your heart..." Tanku looked at him in shock. "And now...the Sand can finally breathe easier, not having to worry about you..." Gaara grined. "Sabaku Soso..." He squeezed his hand shut and crushed Tanku's heart. Tanku's eyes rolled up into the back of his head as blood poured out of his mouth. He fell to the groud, dead. Gaara looked at him and back toward the rest of the ninjas.

"He did it..." Aoba said in shock.

Genma looked at him. "It's Gaara of the Sand...of course he did it."

Gaara smiled and passed out.

"Gaara!" Everyone said at the same time, as they rushed to him.

At the academy...

Naruto, looked at Raven in shock at hearing about Naganobu. "He's known as the Konoha Demon!" He couldn't believe it.

Sakura looked at Naruto. "He was suppose to be Konoha's weapon...he learned all the Konoha clan styles and techniques." She was worried. If they ran into Naganobu...they wouldn't stand a chance.

Raven looked back. "Damnit! I forgot!" He yelled as he looked back at Naruto and Sakura. "I'm suppose to meet my sister and Gaara at the Hokage's office!"

Naruto looked at him. "Let's get moving then! We don't have time to waste!" Naruto said as he sprinted off and took to the roof tops.

Raven and Sakura followed.

Raven looked at Naruto. _"I hope we don't go off against Naganobu...I don't want to see you killed..."_ He looked at Sakura. _"Or you..."_


	17. Unai Naganobu's Past

Naruto landed on a roof top and looked at the entrance to the Hokage building. The ground was torn apart and a dead 2 dead ninja lay there. "Oh no..."

Raven landed next to him and took a look. "That's Tanku down there...the big one..." Raven pointed as Sakura landed next to Naruto. "Looks like Gaara took him out...amazing that he did something like that."

Sakura looked at Raven. "Why is it so amazing?" She asked.

Raven looked at her. "Tanku's power scares even myself..." He looked back at the scene. "We better head in."

They jumped down and made there way into the Hokage building. It was pretty empty, considering some ninja's guarding. They made there way into the Hokage office where Gaara was on a table.

"Gaara!" Naruto shouted as he ran up to him. He saw that Gaara was hurt pretty bad.

"He'll be ok for now." Tsundae said as she rubbed ointment on Gaara's wounds. "He had a tough battle and needs rest."

Naruto scanned Gaara's body. _"For Gaara to be hurt this bad...this guy must have been tough to beat."_ Naruto thought to himself.

Raven looked to Tsundae. "Our main problem wasn't Tanku..." He said as Tsundae looked at him. "It's Naganobu..."

Tsundae's face filled with horror. "No..." She knew him all to well. Naganobu was exactly like Naruto, but their paths were opposites. She looked down. "It's a sad story behind his life..." She said.

Everyone looked at her confused.

"Naganobu had the same sad story as you Naruto..."

"...as me?" Naruto said in confusion.

"But he took a different path..." She looked at them. "The Unai Clan was Konoha's most feared clan and had a order set into it. A lord and sub houses. They were feared because of their abnormal amount of chakra they have. They were expecting Unai Kemigadu, Lord of the Unai Clan to be the 4th Hokage, but Kazama Arashi was chosen. This enraged the Unai Clan...So Kemigadu and the sub houses performed an explosion hara-kiri with there chakra, hoping to level Konoha."

"Hmmm..." Raven looked at Tsundae.

"...but the 4th heard of this plan and sealed the Unai Clan in their own area. The explosion killed everyone inside the seal except for one boy."

"Naganobu..." Sakura said following up on the story.

"The 4th did not want people to hate Naganobu for his clans actions, so he wanted him to be the protection of this village. He had Naganobu learn the Hyuga clan arts as well as the Uchiha Clan arts. He taught under the supervision of the 3rd and 4th Hokages, but still the people of this town did not accept him no matter how hard he tried. It was around when he was 20...He was said to be the strongest ninja Konoha had ever produced, but he still wanted the people to accept him." She looked at Naruto. "His dream was to become Hokage as well..."

Naruto's look turned from confused to suprised. "But...why did he leave!"

"He didn't leave...he tried to kill the 3rd..." She looked down. "I remember this well because I was actually dating him..."

Everyone gasped.

"Y-you were dating him?" Raven couldn't believe it.

"He was a sweet person with a heart full of ambition, but his way of fulfilling it wasn't right...He told me that he was going to kill the Hokage and take his place. I didn't want to believe it, but he truely did mean his words." Tears came to her eyes. "So I told the 3rd of his plans...After that, I never saw Naganobu ever again." She wiped her eyes. "But now he's back to destory the town he once wanted to protect. I'm the Hokage here and I say that he will die trying..." She looked up with a mixure of hurt and anger in her eyes.

Else where, Kage rushes through the streets looking for Raven. "Damnit! Where is he!" She said to herself. She stopped and looked around. She quickly turned her head to a spinning object flying at her. She ducked under just in time to dodge it and see that it was a huge buster blade. The sword stuck into the side of a building and a figure landed on it. Kage looked up and saw that it was Tsume.

Tsume looked down on Kage. "Ohh...it's you...I could have sworn I nailed you dead on with my Kunai last time we met..." She smiled. Tsume was a sick person herself on the inside. Her past was filled with failed relationships with men in the Hidden Mist, but she snaped when she caught her last boyfriend cheating on her with her best friend. Without them hearing her until the last second, she took her buster blade and impaled them both on the sword. After that she went on a killing spree, then fled from the village.

Kage pulled out her kantana as she looked at her. "I'm still alive...unlike you will be when I'm finished with this mission." Kage looked back as Kiba, Shikamaru, and Hinta ran up. "I'm guessing your my back up?"

"Yeah..." Kiba said. He looked over under Tsume. Her panther lurked in the mist the started to spred around the area. "A panther..." He looked down at Akamaru, who was larger from 2 years ago. "Think you can take her Akamaru?"

Akamaru barked with confidence.

"Atta' boy!" Kiba grined.

"This ninja looks troublesome..." Shikamaru said as he scanned the area along with the ninja. "Kiba...it will be a pretty good 4 on 1 if Akamaru keeps her panther busy, while you move in close to this ninja."

"Right!" Kiba yelled.

"Hinta, you can dish out some serious damage with your taijutsu. Say out of a long range battle, but when it gets up close and personal, nail her."

"Right..." Hinta said. She has never fought with a Jonin on a life or death situation before.

"What's your name?" Shikamaru asked Kage.

"Kage..." She replied looking back to Tsume.

"Well you can take close range with Kiba..."

Kage looked back. "I can take all ranges..." She said seriously.

Shikamaru shrugged his shoulders. "Whatever...just don't make yourself troublesome and die."

Tsume looked at all of them. "Now that you have your useless plan together...are you all ready to die?" She said with a little chuckle. "Little kids should play ninjas and not be them...I'll show you what it's like to face a real ninja..."


	18. The Battle With Tsume

Tsume's panther rushed at the group. Kiba looked at Akamaru. "Go Akamaru!" He commanded. Akamaru took off and tackled the panther. The panther exchanged blows with Akamaru, but at the same time Tsume was already in the air with his buster blade aimed at Kiba. Kiba looked up just in time to sidestep the blade. Kiba swung his claws at her, but Tsume blocked the attack and swung at Kiba. Kiba jumped back, but felt that his face had been cut. Blood formed in 4 lines across his cheek and slowly leaked down his face. "Damn..." _"What was that...?"_ He thought to himself as he looked at her.

Tsume's claws were razor sharp. They provided close range defense when she's stuck in a situation that she can't use her sword. She grined and pulled her sword out of the ground. "Aw...little puppy hurt?" She taunted. "I think it's time to put you down you unworth dog..." She rushed at Kiba again with her sword.

Kiba tried to think of what to do. He shot a quick glance over at the fight between Akamaru and Tsume's panther. It was a tie so far and he looked back, but there stood someone he wouldn't expect to step up...

Hinta was in her Gentle Fist stance and ready for anything. Her Byakugan was seeing the great amount of chakra Tsume had. She was suprised at seeing this, but it didn't distract her from what she had to do. Tsume swung the sword vertical downward at Hinta, but Hinta pushed the blade aside before it could hit her. Tsume's sword stuck into the ground deeply and cut a watermaine. Tsume as suprised at the skill of this girl, but didn't wonder too long for she dodged a palm aimed at her chest. Hinta sent blows at Tsume making her stumble back as she tried to block them.

Tsume knew she would be in trouble if she fought with this girl up close for too long. She barely dodged a palm to her stomach, but still felt the pain. She jumped back holding herself. _"That taijutsu isn't normal...she didn't connect...and there isn't any marks on me, but still...my stomach..."_ Tsume looked over at her sword and saw water rushing out from around it. She grined and stood as water formed around her feet. She put her left hand, forming half of the Tora _(Tiger)_ seal in front of her face and her right hand forming the other half of the Tora _(Tiger)_ in the air above her. She released her chakra into the water.

Shikamaru watched what she was doing carefully. He looked down at the water that was around his feet. _"She's putting her chakra into the water...but there isn't anything different about it..."_ He looked back up at her.

"Ninpo: Kiri Gakure no Jutsu..._(Ninja Technique: Hiding Mist Technique)_" She chanted as a dense fog rose from the waters blocking the sight of everyone.

Kage looked around, but couldn't see anything 2 feet in front of her. "Is everyone ok?" She called out.

"Still kickin'!" Kiba yelled out.

"Fine!" Hinta called out as well.

"Still here..." Shikamaru said.

"4 little ninjas..." Tsume's voice called out from all around them. "So weak...it's sad, it really is..."

"If we can't see, that means that you can't see as well..." Shikamaru called out at Tsume. He looked around trying to pinpoint her location, but couldn't.

Tsume chuckled evily. "I don't need to...I can track you down by sound." She grinned with her eyes closed. "I'm a master at the Muon Satsujin Jutsu..._(Silent Homocide Technique)_ You'll be dead before you know it."

Shikamaru knew they all were in trouble if they couldn't see. "Hinta! Do you see her?" He called out.

Hinta was already trying her hardest to find Tsume, but the fog itself was full of chakra, blocking her from seeing anyone. "The fog has chakra in it! I can't see a thing!"

"So which one first...? Hmmm? Any requests or last words?" Tsume said. "Hmmm...how bout...you!"

Kiba's nose twitched and he ducked the buster blade just in time. _"Behind me!"_ He turned and impaled Tsume with his hand. Tsume smiled at him and her figure turned into water and fell to the ground. "Damn!" He looked around and smelled the air.

"_He didn't see it coming or hear it..."_ Tsume thought to herself. _"He smelt it..."_ She listened for another victim.

Hinta turned quickly and pushed the buster blade aside to the ground. She sent a death blow to Tsume's heart, but the figure fell into water again. "Mizu Bushin no Jutsu..._(Water Doppelganger Technique)_" She said as she looked around her.

"_Her eye's aren't normal...they must be able to point out chakra. My bushin distrupted the fog chakra as it moved and she picked it up..."_ Tsume listened once more...

Shikamaru kneeled down and put his hand's in the water. He closed his eye and concentrated. Tsume appeared from the fog behind him and swung her blade right through his body.

"Got one..." She said with a grin, but the body disappeared into smoke and 2 split pieces of wood fell to where Shikamaru was. "Replacement!" She felt someone grab her head from behind.

"Don't think I'm that easy..." Shikamaru said in her ear. He twisted her neck violently and snaped it, then let her body fall into the water, but the body itself became water.

"_I see...he felt the waves in the water with his chakra, and countered when I struck. He's smarter than I thought he would be..."_ She listened again...

Kage felt a blade to the side of her neck. She grined...

"This time...you won't make it..." Tsume said as she pushed the blade through Kage's neck, but Kage's body disappeared. "Bushin?" She said with suprise as a blade was put to the side of her neck.

"Say that again..." Kage ripped the blade through Tsumes neck, but the body turned into water and she felt a blade on her neck again.

"I said...this time..."

Another Kage appeared behind Tsume. "You won't make it..." Kage said, cutting her off and impaling Tsume and her Bushin with her sword. Both disappeared.

"_Nice use of bushins...this girl is better than I thought..."_ "I must say! I haven't had this much entertainment in years..." Tsume said from her unknown location.

"How bout we end the games..." Kage said as she formed Ryu _(Dragon)_ Inu _(Dog)_ Saru _(Monkey)_ Tori _(Bird)_ seals. "Futon: Senpuu no Jutsu! _(Wind Release: Whirlwind Technique)_" She chants as strong winds lash out from around her and blow the fog away, reveling Tsume's location.

Tsume looked at Kage. "Nice technique..." Her panther Kuroitami jumped back from it's battle with Akamaru and landed next to her. Tsume jumped ontop of the panther with the Ryu _(Dragon)_ seal formed. "Suiton: Kurohyou Mizu Tokkan! _(Water Release: Panther Water Rush)_" She yelled out as her panther roared and turned into water. A tidel wave formed under Tsume and rose high into the air and began to crash toward everyone.

"Everyone to the roof tops! Quickly!" Kage yelled out as she jumped up and landed on a roof.

Shikamaru and Hinta follow Kage.

Kiba saw Akamaru jump and was about to jump with him until a Kunai nailed him in the leg. "Ahhh!" He screamed in pain. He looked up at the top of the wave to see Tsume riding it with a smile.

"Where do you think you're going?" Tsume said with a grin.

Hinta looked at Kiba. "Kiba!" She yelled out.

Kiba looked at the wave. He tried to cover himself up, but was swept under instantly. He felt a sharp pain in his lower back then saw his blood in the water. More sharp pain hit him in his shoulder and leg. He was getting cut from the panther appearing in the water.

Shikamaru, Kage and Hinta watched helplessly as Kiba was thrashed at. The wave finally came to a stop and Tsume landed gracefully with her Panther returning to normal. Kiba's gashed bloodly body rolled to a stop. He wasn't moving...

Akamaru was in a rage when his eye's laid gaze on Kiba's motionless body. He smelt his masters blood and it made his blood boil with anger. He howled and jumped off the roof and charged at Tsume.

Tsume looked in suprise. "Loyal...huh...?" Kuroitami jumped in front of Tsume and was tackled by Akamaru. Tsume looked behind her and dodged a blow from Hinta's palm. She followed Hinta's quick movements and dodged countless attacked, then swung at Hinta. It was a clean blow to the side of Hinta's head.

Hinta stumbled back with blood streaming down the right side of her face. She had been gashed pretty badly, plus the attack was near her temple. Her vision was blurry and her head rung.

Tsume was about to send another blow at Hinta, but ducked under a kick from Shikamaru. His attacks were kick variations of punches and kicks. She swung downward on him, but he grabed her wrist. She stuck her claws deep into his side with her free hand.

Shikamaru winced in pain as he felt the claws digging into him. He pulled out his kunai and stabbed Tsume in the chest, but he figure turned into water. He looked behind him and saw Tsume swing her sword at him.

Kage appeared and blocked the sword with her own, but the force was too great and her guard was broken. The blade gashed her deeply in her side. Kage screamed in pain as she fell to one knee holding her side. Blood seeped through her fingers and down her side as she looked up at Tsume. Tsume grined as she pulled her blade into the air and swung downward at Kage, but she jumped back before the blade could hit Kage from Shikamaru's shadow reaching out at hers.

Tsume jumped back more and more until the shadow stopped and struggled to reach anymore. She looked up at Shikamaru. "Nice...but that simple jutsu won't work on me..."

Shikamaru grined. "It didn't have to..."

Tsume looked at him in confusion and was shocked when Kage jumped out of Shikamaru's streatched shadow. Tsume swung her buster blade right through Kage, but the figure disappeared. "Bushin?" She stopped her blade's momentum, but saw Hinta rushin in at her. She was wide open as Hinta sent deadly blows to her chest. She felt the pressure and sharp pain after every strike and then the final strike into her stomach that turned her insides into liquid from the immense power of the blows. She spit up blood as she hung limpy over Hinta's arm and her eyes filled with disbelief. "You're...just...little...nin..." Her vision faded to black and her body fell to the ground.

Hinta breathed out and fell to her knees. Her head was spinning from the blow she received earlier.

Akamaru barked at the panther as it ran off. He turned to Kiba and sniffed him. He wimpered in worry.

Shikamaru checked Kiba's body. "...he's still alive...he's in bad shape, but alive..." Shikamaru sighed in relief.

Kage stood, but winced in pain. "We need medical treatment..." She said to Shikamaru.

"The hospital isn't far from here..." Shikamaru said as he looked to Kage. Kage passed out from her wound. "H-hey!" He ran over to her and looked at her. "Hey!"

Kage's vision faded away and Shikamaru's voice became an echo as she slowly closed her eyes. _"Raven...I couldn't complete the mission...I'm sorry..." _


	19. The Battle With Koubai

Koubai landed on a building and looked around. "Now...where are the villagers? I wanted to have some fun before I got this mission over with..." He looked behind him as he felt another presence. It was a boy pitch black glasses on. "Oh...I'm guessing you're here to stop me?"

Shino looked at him, emotionless as always. "No...I'm here to kill you..." He said as his bugs arounded his feet, ready to attack.

Koubai looked at the bugs and knew of this special technique. "You control those chakra eating bugs right...?" He said with a grin.

"I guess you know of this style?" Shino asked.

Koubai sneered. "Of course I do...it's very easy to defeat." Koubai put his hand behind his back with his palm toward a group of Shinos bugs and they exploded.

Shino didn't show it, but he was suprised at what Koubai did. For him to know that Shino had an ambush ready and how did he kill them with no means of a jutsu or weapon? Shino looked over at Ino as she landed to back him up.

Koubai looked at the blonde. "Ohh...a cute one this time..." He licked his lips. "This will be fun..." He looked at two other ninja's that landed. They both were older than the first two.

It was Iruka and Ebisu. They looked at Koubai and tried to figure out his abilities. "You won't make it out of here alive..." Ebisu said with anger in his voice. He hasn't had a battle with someone of Koubai's caliber in a while.

Koubai looked at him with an evil smile on his face. "Welcome...to my orchestra of death!" He rushed at Ino first and sent palm strikes at her.

Ino reacted quickly, blocking the strikes with ease, but her muscles and bones were in pain after each block. She jumped back looking at Koubai. _"It's like Neji...but it didn't affect my chakra..."_ She thought to herself.

Koubai was about to follow up on his attack, but blocked a kick from Iruka. Iruka's taijutsu was pretty good, he mixed up his attacks between punches and kicks, but everytime his attacks were blocked, pain set into his arms and legs. He jumped back as well wondering why he keeps getting hurt and Koubai isn't attacking.

"Hurts...doesn't it?" Koubai said with a sick grin on his face. "I'm from the Hidden Village of the Sound...my ability it to use my chakra to distort the air flow around me and create sound waves. I'm able to increase those waves to the point where they can shatter bones. Everytime I touch you, I send my chakra into your body which creates sound waves inside of you." Koubai looked behind him just in time to duck a round house from Ebisu. _"Damn! Hardly saw him coming..."_ Koubai dodged a few punches, but Ebisu's kicks were blurs of speed. Koubai dodged a few, but took a solid shot to the jaw and slid back still standing. "Damn..." He looked back with wide eyes as another Ebisu rushed at him. _"Kage Bushin!"_ He parried a kick that came from the bushin and placed his palm to Ebisu's face. "Sonic Boutou! _(Sonic Boom)_" Ebisu's head exploded, but the body disappeared.

Ebisu looked at what happened to his bushin. He knew that could make this situation worse. _"He is able to raise the level of wave lengths to deadly levels. To the point where bones could shatter into dust and your insides would melt..."_ Ebisu thought to himself.

Koubai snaped his hand out toward Ino. "Die!" He sent a power wave of sound at Ino that ripped the ground apart as it rushed at Ino.

Ino was shocked and knew she wouldn't be able to dodge it, but a wall of insects blocked her and took the attack. It was Shino's bugs. She sighed in relief. "Thanks Shino..."

Koubai looked at Shino. "You and your nasty little bugs..." Koubai grined. "Time for extermination!" Koubai's body flickered and he disappeared and reappeared in the air above everyone. He took a deep breath. "Hibiki Assaiki! _(Sound Crusher)_" Koubai screamed at a pitch so high that it shattered windows in the area. He also sent down a stream of ultra sound at Shino.

Shino looked up and gasped. He knew that his bugs wouldn't be able to protect him from an attack like this, but he was pushed out of the way of the attack. He fell back and looked up at where he was standing and it was Iruka. "I-Iruka!" Iruka looked at Shino and then the wave of sound hit him. The ground beneth Iruka cracked slowly and Iruka was screaming in pain, but no one could hear him from the ultrasound drowning him out. Iruka was jerked out of the attack from Ebisu with ninja wire as the ground fell into the building.

Iruka fell at Ebisu's feet. He looked up at Ebisu, but couldn't make out his face. He knew that Ebisu was talking to him, but his ears couldn't pick up anything from the extreme pressure they were put under just a moment ago.

"Iruka! Iruka are you alright? Iruka!" Ebisu was worried sick about the condition of Iruka after taking an attack like that one. He looked over at Koubai as he landed. Ebisu's eyes grew wide when he saw Koubai take another deep breath. "Shino!"

Koubai screamed again at Shino, but Shino dodged the attack. Koubai stopped when he had to duck a punch from Ino. "You again?" He said as he dodged another punch. He countered with a right to Ino's stomach and then an uppercut to her jaw. Ino stumbled some, but regained her focus only to see the palm of Koubai's hand. Her eye's grew wide. "Sonic Boutou! _(Sound Crusher)_" Koubai yelled as he sent a ultra powerful wave at Ino, but Ino cocked her head to the side just in time to dodge the attack, but Koubai was already taking a deep breath. Koubai's head snaped back from a palm to his mouth from Shino that sent him reeling back. Koubai screamed in pain as blood leaked from his mouth. "You...Your going to pay with your life for that!" He breathed in deeply once more and looked at Shino and Ino. _"Two for one...perfect...and at this distance they will be dead as soon as it hits them!"_ Koubai thought to himself. He screamed again, but all that was heard was a hit pitched scream that had no power in it. Koubai stopped and had a look of disbelief on his face. "What?...Why can't I..." He tried again, but no luck.

Shino grined. "What's wrong? Cat got your tonge?" Koubai shot a look of hatred at him. "Or do my bugs have your vocal cords...?" Koubai looked with a shocked expression on his face. "I figured out how your annoying scream attack works..." Shino adjusted his glasses. "You build chakra up in your vocal cords and scream at a high pitch. The chakra enables you to raise that pitch higher than normal and stream it outward at an opponent. When I gave you that palm strike to the mouth as you were inhaling...I took the liberty of placing a few of my bugs in my palm with the intent to eat the chakra around your vocal cords."

Koubai grined. "Smart...very smart." Koubai snaped his hand up at Shino and fired a ultra sound wave out of his palm at Shino and blew his head off. "But it ain't over until the fat lady sings! HA!" Koubai felt a sharp pain in his back and he arched backwards. "AHHHOOPHHH!" A piece of paper was stuffed down his throat by the real Shino from behind him.

Shino looked into Koubai's eyes. "How bout when the annoying little sound ninja..." Shino gets close to Koubai's ear. "...dies screaming like a bitch..." Shino pushed Koubai forward.

Koubai fell to his knees. He coughed and coughed, but couldn't get the paper out of his throat. "Ack...What...is...this!" He kept choking.

Shino looked at him. "That's my going to hell present from me to you..." Shino grined. "An exploding note..." Koubai's eyes grew wide as he looked at Shino. "Goodbye..." Koubai screamed one last time before Shino snaped his fingers. The note exploded and blew out Koubai's throat. Blood sprayed everywhere as Koubai tried to grasp his throat closed, but failed and fell into a pool of his own blood, dead.

Ebisu looked at Shino. "Good work Shino, but Iruka is in bad shape. We have to get him safely to a hospital."

Shino looked at Ebisu. "Right..."

Ino looked at the dead Koubai in disgust. "You had it coming..." She said as she walked past the body to Ebisu.


	20. The Battle With Mizu

Kokou rushed down the street and turned onto another. His mind raced at the fact that Konoha was under attack. He had to protect this village with his life to save his friends and family. He thought of his girlfriend, but his mind was shifted to horror when he turned onto another street. It was the Kaji Clan street, but it wasn't a bright street anymore as Kokou once knew it to be from his childhood years. It was a nightmare...he looked around at the bodies of ninja and villagers alike, slain without mercy. Blood was everywhere...there were 30...40...50...more bodies than he could count. "My god...they couldn't evac fast enough..." He looked around. "The enemies must be close then..." Kokou's head snaped forward when he heard a scream of a teenage girl and saw her running toward him, but before she could make it to him a chain scythe flew past her head and was snaped back. The blade took her head with it and her body fell into Kokou as blood sprayed all on him. He looked down in horror...he had never seen anything like this. He looked back up at a single ninja with a low conical straw hat on and a Junihitoe looking robe with a stiff collar that covered up most of his face. The ninja seemed emotionless as he kicked the girls head out of his way. "D-did you do all of this?" Kokou demanded.

It was Mizu...he looked at him. "And what if I am?" He replied. "Are you going to kill me?" He asked.

Kokou looked around at all the dead ninja and villagers...most of the ninja that were killed were Jonins...Jonins that had more years of experience than him. Kokou knew he was in a bad posistion, but he had to fight. "I'm going to make you suffer for what you have done here..." He said as he pulled out his swords.

Mizu's weapon disappeared into thin air. He stood facing Kokou, his hands concealed by the long sleeves of the Junihitoe. Mizu looked at Kokou, but his attention was turned to behind him when two more Konoha ninja appeared.

"What have you done!" Yelled a angered Lee. He had never seen such a sight in his life. "All these innocent people!" His blood boiled and he took his stance.

Tenten felt sick looking at all the bodies and the blood. She looked at Mizu, his body seemed to show no emotion. "He's cold...no emotions..." She narrowed her eyes. "Another tool...to be ordered around."

"That's all we are..." Mizu said. "Tools...tools of war and violence. Tools trained ever since kids...playing ninja with your friends is the same as playing murder with your friends." He looked back. "Emotions are signs of weakness...and tools are useless if weak." His attention was pulled forward when Kokou rushed at him. "First move..." Mizu threw his arm up toward Kokou and a bojutsu staff came out of his sleeve.

Kokou wasn't ready for this and barely dodged the staff. _"Where did that staff come from!"_ Kokou thought to himself as he looked at Mizu holding the staff. Kokou didn't have much time to ponder the thought as Mizu swung the staff at him. Kokou blocked it with ease, but wasn't ready for the second attack to the other side of his head to come so rapidly. Kokou was knocked to the side some. He stumbled, but caught his footing. Mizu did a false strike that made Kokou jump back some and shook the end trying to fake him out and violently thrusted the staff forward into Kokou's stomach.

Kokou bent over as the impact hit him. The pain was unbearable, to the point were he fell over doubled up. "Ahh..." He moaned in pain.

Mizu looked at Kokou. "Worthless ninja...I'll kill you quickly so you won't have to live your life in shame any longer." He narrowed his eyes. "You should be honoured. I rarely show that type of gratification to anyone..." Mizu's attention was pulled behind him again when Lee rushed at him. "I nearly forgot about you two..." He turned and saw Lee jump into the air and send a leaping kick at him. Mizu pulled up his staff to block it, but Lee's power snaped the staff in half, but still Mizu was too quick. He leaned back and dodged the kick.

Lee landed and looked at Mizu. "No more staff..." Lee got in his stance and peered at him. _"His body doesn't show it...,but he is very skilled."_ Lee rushed at Mizu again, but ducked under a Naginata _(A staff with a sword blade on the end)_ was swung at his head. _"Where did he get that!"_ Lee thought to himself as he dodged more quick attacks. Lee jumped over one attack, but lost his balence and fell to his side. Mizu spun the naginata verticly with the blade aimed at Lee, but Lee kept rolling away from the blade as Mizu kept steping toward him. Lee jumped back up and weaved around some stabbing strikes aimed at his head. He jumped back when Mizu swung downward at him. "There!" Lee jumped on the Naginata and rushed up it toward Mizu, but his eyes grew wide when another naginata appeared out of Mizu's other sleeve. Mizu swung once more at Lee, but Lee barely dodged it. Lee was moving as fast as he could to dodge the naginata blades. _"H-how is he moving these weapons at this speed!"_ Lee thought to himself as he continued to dodge the blades. Lee jumped back and looked at Mizu. "A-amazing..." Lee was breathing heavy now. "How can you attack with those weapons so quickly?"

Mizu looked at him. "...My father was the Hidden Mist's blacksmith..." Mizu looked down. "Being a blacksmith means you are a master at the weapons you make." He looked back up at Lee. "Lots of ninjas today aren't taught the Ninja Junakkei _(18 Ninjutsu Skills)_"

"Ninja Junakkei?" Lee asked.

"Let me give you a little lesson on it before you die." Mizu said as he made his weapons draw back into his sleeves. "The Ninja Junakkei are Seishin-teki Kyoko _(Spiritual Refinement),_ Taijutsu _(unarmed combat_), Ninja Ken _(Sword Fighting),_ Bojutsu _(Stick and Staff Fighting),_ Shurikenjutsu _(Throwing Blades),_ Sojutsu _(Spear Fighting),_ Naginatajutsu _(Naginata Fighting),_ Kusarigamajutsu _(Chain and Sickle Fighting),_ Kayakujutsu _(Fire and Explosives),_ Hensojutsu _(Disguse and Impersonation),_ Shinobi-iri _(Stealth and Infiltration Methods),_ Bajutsu _(Horsemanship),_ Sui-ren _(Training In Water),_ Boryaku _(Military Strategy),_ Choho _(Espionage),_ Intonjutsu _(Escaping and Concealment),_ Tenmon _(Meteorology),_ and Chi-mon _(Geography)._ It is said that only the greatest of the great ninjas can use all of these skills to the fullest..." Mizu looked at the sky. "I have spent my whole life training under these skills..." He looked down at Lee. "Now it's time to show you..." Mizu looked back at Tenten as her kunai's flew at him. "Another bother..." He caught them and threw them back.

Tenten pulled out her last Kunai and blocked them all, but the last one that was hidden behind one she blocked. It stuck into her side deeply. "Ahhh!" She held around the wound and fell to her knee. "Damn...how...did he...?" Blood was already seeping from the wound.

Lee rushed at Mizu when he wasn't paying attention and sent a powerful kick at his head, but Mizu blocked it and looked back at him. "Nice try..." Mizu said as he spun and sent a powerful kick to the side of Lee's head. Lee stumbled some, suprised at the power of the blow. Mizu pulled out a chain sickle and swung the blade around. He sent it at Lee, but Lee sidesteped and dodged the fast attack of Mizu.

Lee jumped back, but felt a sharp pain on the right side, near his ribs and his chest felt warm. He looked down and saw his deep wounds. "Ahhh..." Blood was leaking from them. Lee looked up at Mizu.

Mizu looked at Lee with cold eyes. "Time to meet the rest of your fellow ninja..." Mizu swung the sickle down at Lee, but Kokou appeared in front of Lee just in time to block the blade. "Just die already..." Mizu said as he pulled the sickle back and swung again, wraping it around Kokou's blade. He pulled, but Kokou resisted.

Kokou jumped toward Mizu with his other sword ready for a kill, but another chain sickle came out of Mizu's other sleeve and he wrapped it around Kokou's free sword and yanked him forward. "WHAAA!" Kokou couldn't do anything at this point, he was headed right at Mizu, wide open. Kokou's head snaped back from a dropkick delivered by Mizu. Kokou let his swords go as he flew backward, hitting the ground and sliding 10 meters. "Ahhh..." Kokou struggled to sit up. Blood was pouring out of his nose and he could barely see.

Mizu threw the swords far away from the reach of Kokou. "This is it..." Mizu swung the sickles around him quickly. They started to cut the ground around him deeply. "The end of your life is here..." Mizu shot the sickles outward on a downward angle at Kokou. They looked like a snakes fangs about to strike it's prey.

Kokou closed his eyes and thought about his last thoughts...His girlfriend and his little brother. His mom and dad. His best friend Konton. Everyone in the village that he couldn't save. "I'm sorry..." He whispered as the blades made their way at him...


	21. Chakra Gate battle Lee Vs Mizu

Kokou looked up just as the blades were about to nail him, but they were jerked back. He looked in suprise at Mizu. Mizu looked behind him. "You are getting annoying..." He said to Tenten.

She had connected her ninja wire to the scythes when he was twirling them around. Her accuracy skills allowed her to attach them even with the blades moving so fast. Her wound was bad. She wouldn't last much longer in this fight. "Heh..." She put on a grin. "You're not killing us that easily..." She said with deep breaths.

"That wound is serious...you won't be as quick with it as you were before. Right now..." Mizu's eyes snapped to his left as he felt someone rushing at him, but snapped right at another. He ducked a kick barely and jumped back, but before he could land the presence was behind him again. _"Fast!"_ He was off guard to this kind of speed and took a shot to his ribs from a kick. He went flying into a wall and fell to his knees coughing. "Ahhh..." He tried to catch his breath. He looked up to find Lee standing where he was landing. "You're movements are way faster than before..."

Lee smirked and pointed to his weights over where Mizu last saw him. "I had my weights on..." Mizu was amazed at such a simple training method. Lee got in his stance once more. "The foe in front of you now is one that you cannot defeat." He narrowed his eyes. "Rock Lee!" Lee rushed in once more.

Mizu smirked. "It's been awhile since I've gone all out..." Mizu rushed at Lee matching his speed. They both collided and the attacks they sent were too fast for anyone to pick up by the eye. Even Kakashi's Sharingan would have a hard time seeing. They both jumped back and looked at each other. "Good...very good...for a kid your age I must admit you are almost equal to me at speed and taijutsu..." Mizu said as he looked at Lee.

Kokou knew that Lee wouldn't be able to last with Mizu for too long. Kokou thought about the time he saw Lee trash that resturant when he was drunk and..._"That's it!"_ He looked up and reached into his pouch. He pulled out his sake container. "Lee!" He yelled and Lee looked at him. Kokou tossed the container to him.

Lee caught it and looked at it in confusion. "What's this?" He asked.

"It's a special drink that will help you! Drink it all down!" He yelled.

Mizu looked at the two. _"Special medicine? Hmph...none of that can help you against me..."_ Mizu thought as he prepared himself.

Lee took the top off and looked inside at the liquid. "ehh..." He hesistated.

"Drink it Lee!" Kokou urged him. "You'll be stronger!"

Lee looked at him. "Stronger!" He said with excitement. Kokou nodded. Lee chugged the drink down and tossed the container. After a few seconds he started to feel woozy. He hickuped and his eyes became lazy. He looked at Mizu with rosey red cheeks and formed his new stance. The drunken master.

Mizu looked at this stance in confusion. "What is this?" He said. _"His stance is different...he doesn't look like he can hardly stand..."_

Lee looked around. "Wha...why is everyone HICK! ...laying in red paint...?" Lee stumbled some. He looked at Mizu. "Whadda lookin at..." Lee rushed at him. "It's not nice to stare!" Mizu looked at his form that was completely different from the other one. Too angluar and off balence. Mizu was prepared to defend himself, but Lee tripped and fell on his face. He slid forward until he reached the feet of Mizu.

Mizu looked down at Lee, suprised and confused. He had never seen anything like this. "What the hell are you...?" Before he could finish he was nailed with a kick to the face. "AHH!" He stumbled back and looked at Lee who was doing a handstand. Lee fliped to his feet and rushed at Mizu again. He sent strikes at Mizu that he could hardly block. _"He's too unpredictible!"_ Mizu was blocking on instinics now. Mizu took two blows to the stomach, an uppercut and Konoha whirlwind kick to the face. Mizu flew back and hit the ground. He has never face someone like this ever. His blood boiled and emotions started flowing through him...

Past

It was a bright day outside as the kids left the academy of the Hidden Mist. They went out and played with eachother. Mizu walked alone. Nobody went near him because they found him to be strange. An emotionless boy who is never happy. His body was tattered with scars from battles he went through with enemy ninjas. Only 8 years of age, he was looked at with fear from many ninjas in the village, not because of his skill. He didn't have skills of being a ninja...it was his rage. Mizu went through the same rigorous training with his father everyday with weapons. Mizu was well balenced in weapons and unarmed combat. Today for Mizu...it wasn't a special day...he felt like killing someone, but he face didn't show it. He wanted blood to be shed by his hand. He made it back home and looked in the window to his house and his eyes grew wide as he saw his father slap his mother and beat her. He walked in and his father turned to him.

"Mizu..." He said, suprised at seeing him. Mizu's mother was cowering in the corner, coving her face from Mizu.

"What are you doing to mother..." Mizu asked in a monotone voice. His father didn't know what to say. Mizu saw it all and his rage was growing. Mizu didn't really care for his mother at all, seeing that she didn't care for him. She always wanted a daughter to talk about to her friends at the store, but only had him. She wasn't proud of him or happy that she had him. This made Mizu want to kill more when he thought about it...because all he wanted to do was make his mother and father happy. If they were happy from something he had done, then he would be happy, but they were never happy. His father was always working and training him and his mother would ignore him. Mizu saw all the other kids play with their parents and laugh and smile, but not him...Mizu slipped a kunai out from his holster and his vision went blank.

"Mizu...Mizu what are you...!" Before his father could finish, Mizu was ontop of his stabbing him. "MIZU! AHHH! AHHH!" Mizu was relentless. He didn't care what so ever. All the built up rage inside of him just exploded and here he was killing his own father, but he was thrown off. He landed on his back, but quickly jumped to his feet and grabbed a sword. He turned and rushed up, but stopped before he could strike again at the sight he saw. His mother had jumped over his father to protect him...but why? He didn't understand why...he was so confused...his mind didn't comprehend anything anymore. "Mother..." He said seethingly through his teeth, with tears of rage and sorrow streaming down his face. "MOTHER!" He swung down on her and struck again and again and again. Blood covered his face and the area around him with ever strike he connected with. He stopped and looked at what he had done to his mother and father...His emotions were sunk once more back deep down inside of him to dwell.

Present

Lee was sobering up now. He shook his head and looked around. "Ahhh...Kokou...that was Sake you gave me..." Lee said as he rubbed his head. He looked over at Mizu who was on all fours with his head down. "D-did I do that!" He asked in amazement.

Kokou nodded. "Yeah! Now go and..." Kokou felt an evil chakra coming from Mizu...He looked over and chakra was moving around him violently. Tenten looked on in horror. She had never seen anything of this sort in her life.

Lee knew was it was. Something that only a few ninjas could do including himself. "He's releasing his gates!" _"With the way it's now...his on his wound gate (4th Gate)."_ Lee thought to himself. "Fine..." Lee prepared himself and began releasing his gates as well.

Kokou could hardly breathe right from all the pressure that was on him from their chakra. It was scary to see such a sight from to individuals. "S...So much...power!" He said.

Lee's screams stopped when he reached the Forest Gate _(5th Gate)_, but he was suprised to see that Mizu wasn't stopping his release. "He's on his View Gate! _(6th Gate)_" Lee knew that training alone couldn't open the View Gate. It was emotions...painful memories or actions against a person that made this gate possible to reach. Lee's eyes grew wide when he felt a wave of new chakra from Mizu..."My god..." He said. "...H-h-he's opened the Insanity Gate! _(7th Gate)_"

Mizu was sobbing as he rose to his feet. His hat blew away showing his face. It was a pale icey blue. "Mother!" He screamed and a wave of chakra ripped the ground apart as it headed toward Lee, but Lee dodged it and appeared in front of Mizu. Lee nailed him with power blows to his body and one to Mizu's face that sent him flying into a building, but Mizu appeared behind Lee. He nailed Lee with a devestating kick to the side of the head, that sent Lee flying. Lee hit the ground, skidded, but he rolled to his feet. Mizu appeared again and sent lightning fast strikes at Lee. Lee blocked most of the strikes, but caught a stiff right to the face.

Lee stumbled back, but wasn't done yet. Mizu rushed in, but Lee jumped up. "Konoha Hurricane!" Lee nailed Mizu with 8 spinning kicks while in the air and sent him flying on the last one. Mizu turned in midair and looked to where he was going to land, but before he did, Lee appeared right there and sent a spinning kick to his face, sending him into the air. Lee appeared again spinning for momentum. He nailed Mizu further into the air with another kick to his chin. Lee appeared above him spinning once more and nailed him downward with a kick to Mizu's face. Lee sped downward at Mizu. He ripped his muscles and nailed Mizu with the Reverse Lotus smashing Mizu into the ground.

Mizu looked up at Lee with tears of hate and sorrow in his eyes. "RRRAAHHHH!" He nailed Lee with a beam of Chakra. Lee was shot into the air spinning out of control and he landed on the ground. Lee's gates closed and he was barely alive after that attack. Mizu climbed out of the crator created by Lee's attack. Mizu pulled out a sword and made his way over to Lee. Mizu raised the blade into the air, but before he could strike something happened that he could believe to see happen. Tenten jumped overtop of Lee to protect him from Mizu. She was crying from Mizu to stop. Mizu's mind was confused once more...Why? Why would she throw away her life for another? Mizu saw his mother and father and tears fell from his eyes even more. His heart grew heavy and he didn't know what to do..."Mother..." He said with a sob. "MOTHER!" He screamed as he swung downward, but brought the sword inward impaling himself.

Kokou looked at Mizu in shock. "He...he...but...why?" Kokou rushed over to Lee and looked at Mizu. "Why?...Why Mizu...?"

Mizu looked up at Kokou, his gates closed now. "Because..." Mizu smiled for the first time in his life. "I think this will make my mother and father happy..." Mizu looked at the three. "I'm sorry..." Those were Mizu's last words before he fell to the ground dead.

Kokou looked down at Lee. "Lee! Can you hear me! Lee!" Kokou wasn't sure if Lee was going to make it. He looked up at Tenten. "We are going to have to get him to the hospital! Quickly!"

Tenten nodded and lifted Lee up with Kokou.

Kokou looked back at Mizu. _"You were a great ninja Mizu...,but you probably would have been a much better friend..."_


	22. Konoha's Best Vs Naganobu

Raven looked down at Gaara as Tsundae healed him. Sakura looked at Gaara, but slowly turned to Naruto. "Naruto..." She said quietly. Naruto looked at her. "Can I talk to you alone? I know now isn't the best time, but I may not have another..." Naruto nodded and they walked out of the office into the hallway. "Naruto...I'm sorry about everything that has happened. I didn't mean to hurt you like that and...well...Naruto I love you..." She looked into his eyes. Naruto looked down. "Naruto...please..."

"I need time Sakura...I just need sometime to regain the trust that I had in you." Naruto couldn't just accept her back in an instant. He had been hurt deeply. The night of the battle between him and Raven, he cried. He felt rejected once more and hated it. He almost let the Kyuubi free...He looked back up at Sakura. She had tears of regret in her eyes. "I'm sorry Saukra..."

"No Naruto, I'm the one who is sorry..." She wiped the tears away. "I felt this love for Raven when I looked at him and I don't know what it was..." She looked into Naruto's eyes. "But I couldn't let you go...and now here I am...I love you Naruto and it will stay that way forever. I promise..." She wraped her arms around Naruto and hugged him tightly. She felt Naruto's arms wrap around her.

Raven walked out of the door to see both of them hugging. "Sorry to interupt you two..." Naruto and Sakura pulled away and looked at him. "But Tsundae wants to see you Sakura." Sakura nodded and headed into the room. Raven watched as Sakura went into the room.

"Oye..." Naruto called. Raven looked at him. "Sorry about what happened that night in the woods..."

"No no..." Raven shook his hands in rejection. "It's alright. I understand how you feel about her..." Raven looked down. "You love her..., but so do I..." Raven looked up at Naruto. "And both of us will do anything to protect her. The thing is...I probably will never see her again after this mission."

"Hmmm...I do hope to see you again someday Raven..." Naruto looked at him. Raven looked at him confused. "So I can beat you in a battle..." Naruto smiled.

Raven was suprised. "You almost did beat me in the woods. Until Kakashi appeared." Raven remembers the battle perfectly, because he almost died. "But if I ever do come back, then we will have our rematch." Raven smiled.

Screams were heard outside of the building. Raven and Naruto looked down the hallway toward the door. They looked at eachother and took off to the outside of the building. When they stepped outside they saw him...Naganobu.

"Is that him?" Naruto yelled.

"Yeah..." Raven replied.

Naganobu stood in front of Konoha's best. Kakashi, Aburame Shibi, Hyuga Hiashi, Maito Gai, Bara Shikaku, Akimichi Choza, Shizune, Yamanaka Inoichi, Mitarashi Anko, Morino Ibiki, Namiashi Radio, Genma, Aoba, Kurenai and Asuma. All of the best stood up against one lone ninja. Naruto couldn't believe his eyes. "He's just standing there...not worried about all these ninja in front of him!" Naruto said with worry in his voice.

"Konoha's best...against Konoha's demon..." Naganobu said with a smirk. Maito Gai made the first move. He rushed in at Naganobu and sent lightning fast strikes at him, but Naganobu blocked them with ease. He jumped back and ducked under a flying kick from Inoichi then dodged shurikens from Skikaku and Shizune. He was smashed into the ground by Choza's large hand, but appeared on top of it. "Easy..." He rushed with quick speeds up Choza's arm and drilled him with a kick to the face. He landed between Radio, Genma and Aoba. They rushed in at the same time at him sending countless strikes at him, but they couldn't land any of them. Naganobu's taijutsu was too advanced for them. He sent a sharp powerful slash kick to Radio's stomach, dropping him, then with the same leg he snapped a kick to Aoba's head, dropping him, then sent a powerful backspin kick into Genma's face, sending him back. Naganobu turned and blocked Kakashi's attacks and noticed his Sharingan. "Sharingan...?" Kakashi's hands became blurs and he nailed Naganobu with countless shots to the body and ended his combo with a haymaker to the face. Naganobu slid back. "Impressive..." Naganobu parried a death blow from Hiashi's Gentle Fist. Hiashi poured on Naganobu with his attacks, but Naganobu knew the style himself and blocked the attacks with ease. Naganobu returned with strikes to key points on Hiashi's body that dropped him on the spot.

Hiashi knew of points he connected with that left him in an unbearible amount of pain. "T-the...nerve points." The nerve points were key points on the body, where you could stop an enemy by pressing them. The pain sensors in the body go off all together as if that person fell from a thousand feet and surivived.

Naganobu felt something grab his arms and pull them apart and toward his back. He looked back to see Anko holding him with her hidden snakes. "Ahhh...a little girl in the battle..." His attention was pulled forward when Shibi gathered his bugs around him and fired a ball of them at Naganobu. "Chakra eating bugs..." Naganobu was nailed and covered in them.

"No way that he is surviving that..." Shibi said. "That amount would kill anything..." But Shibi was shocked went the bugs exploded. "W-what? How?"

Naganobu looked at Shibi. "They eat my chakra...so I gave them so much...they couldn't handle it... " He looked back at Anko. "And for you..." Naganobu pulled his arms forward and close enough to hand seals. He made the Tori _(Bird)_, Uma _(Horse)_, and Ryu _(Dragon)_ seals. "Raikyu Ikazuchi wu Utte! _(Lightning Bolt Strike)_" He chanted and he was struck with lightning. The current went through the snakes and nailed Anko. She screamed in pain and passed out from the electricity.

Naganobu saw kunai's just miss him from Genma and Aoba. "Bad aim..." He looked again and saw the ninja wire attached.

Genma and Aoba formed the Nezumi _(Rat)_ and Tora _(Tiger)_ seals. "Katon: Ryuka no Jutsu! _(Fire Release- Dragon Fire Technique)_" They said together as they sent a large wave of fire down the wire at him.

"Nice..." Naganobu said with a grin as his body began to spin. "Hakkesho Kaiten! _(Eight Trigrams Palms Heavenly Spin_)" He chanted as his body spun rapidly. The fire engulfed him, but he wasn't harmed. He formed the Usagi _(Hare),_ Hebi _(Serpent),_ and Tori _(Bird_). "Futon: Kyoubou Tatsumaki! _(Wind Release: Raging Tornado)_" He chanted while spinning and a tornado formed around him with grabbing the fire with it.

Kakashi's eyes grew wide. He had never seen anything like this ever. "A-a giant flaming tornado?"

Naganobu sent it at the group of ninja's. Everyone moved away from the tornado, but Aoba, Genma, Choza, and Radio were sucked in. They were burned badly and thrown into near by buildings as the tornado ripped up the streets. He stopped spinning and dodged a close kunai stab from Ibiki. He kept dodging the attacks from Ibiki and caught Ibiki's wrist before the kunai stabbed him in the eye. "Close..." He snaped Ibiki's wrist with ease and threw him into Inoichi. Ibiki screamed in pain.

Naganobu felt his body become stiff. He couldn't move. "What...is this?" His eyes shifted to Shikaku. "You..."

Shikaku grinned. "Yep...me...and now for you to die..." Shikaku concentrated his chakra. "Kage Kubi Shibari bo Jutsu. _(Shadow Neck Bind Technique)_" He chanted as his shadow slide up Naganobu's body to his neck and took grip.

Naganobu grined. "Interesting technique..." The shadow hand was pushed back into the ground with ease. "But still useless against me..." Naganobu broke the technique with his chakra. Shikaku was shocked at this power Naganobu had. Naganobu appeared behind Skikaku and let out a sick chuckle. Shikaku was turning to look behind him when Naganobu nailed him in the head with a backfist, sending him flying into a light pole.

Shikaku tried to push himself up, but felt a sharp pain in his side. He spat out blood as he coughed. "Ahhh..." He favored his ribs. They were broken. 4 of them.

Naganobu turned to see Asuma rushing at him. "Trench Knives..." Asuma swung at him and Naganobu dodged the blade and chakra extention blade. "I see why they call you Konoha's best..." A blade with empty fuller _(The area between the dull side and sharp side)_ slid out of his sleeve. He thrusted the blade into the stomach of Asuma, but the figure turned into a log. "Replacement..." A second blade slid out from his other sleeve. He looked up to find Asuma coming at him with his blades ready, but Naganobu couldn't dodge. He looked down and his body was stuck in the trunk of a tree. He looked up at Kurenai who was coming out of the tree above him about to strike with Asuma. Asuma only blinked and Kurenai was in Naganobu's place.

"Asuma!" She yelled.

Asuma flipped forward and landed on his feet looking at Kurenai. "That was close..."

"Asuma!" another Kurenai called out from behind him.

Asuma looked back. "What?" He turned to a grinning Kurenai and ducked under a blade aimed for his head. The image turned back into Naganobu. He rushed at Asuma and swung relentlessly at him. Asuma was doing all he could to dodge the attacks, but finally was caught in the arm and his side. He continued to dodge until his thigh was gashed deeply. "Ahhh!" He fell back and looked up at Naganobu.

Naganobu looked down at Asuma. "Die..." He swung downward on Asuma, but Kurenai blocked it with her kunai as she stood over Asuma. He had to hold the kunai with two hands to hold back the power of Naganobu. "Lovely..." Naganobu swung his other blade at the side of Kurenai. She looked and knew that she was wide open, but Asuma blocked it with his tench knife.

Kurenai looked at Asuma. "Asuma..." She was saved by the man she had fallen in love with. She looked back at Naganobu. "Take this!" She jumped up and small blades slid out from the sides of her sandles. She spread her legs and aimed both feet at Naganobu's head and pulled them together, but Naganobu pulled his arms up and blocked the attack from Kurenai's shins.

"How about this?" Naganobu said with a sick grin. He slammed his arms downward into Kurenai and sent her into Asuma. He sent his blades at her face.

Kurenai couldn't block the blades aimed at her and she closed her eyes. Until she heard the clash of metal and arms wraped around her. She opened her eyes to see Asuma's knives blocking the blades. "Asuma..."

Shibi rushed at Naganobu with a kunai in each hand. He swung at Naganobu's head, but Naganobu swayed backwards. Naganobu dodged the quick attacks from Shibi. "Impressive..." Naganobu said as he dodged the attacks. He hit a nerve point in Shibi's inner upper arm that made him drop the kunai in that hand. Shibi's arm dropped to his side. It was filled with burning pain. Naganobu sent a devestating palm thrust into Shibi's chest that sent him flying back into a wall.

Shibi hit the ground after hitting the wall. He tried his best to catch his breath, but could hardly breathe. His lungs were damaged from the strike he just took. His vision was blurry and he heard Shizune's voice calling him before he blacked out.

Naganobu looked around at the fallen Konoha Ninjas. "Come on...this is the best you all can do?" He looked behind him at a lone standing ninja. "Hatake Sakumo's son..." He was looking at Kakashi. "To have the honor..." He turned to Kakashi. "...To kill his son." A sick grin crept onto Naganobu's face.

Kakashi eye's scaned the area. His fellow comrades have been taken out with ease and he's the only one that got a clean shot on him. "I'd like to see you try..." Kakashi pulled out his fathers White Chakra Sabre. _"Father..."_ Kakashi thought. _"Fight with with me...against this demon..."_


	23. Finale: The Final Battle

The wind blew over the battle worn street. Over the bodies of Konoha ninjas and villagers. Naruto was shocked at the power of Naganobu. He took out so many Jonin in so little time like they were insects. It was down to Kakashi...the lone standing Jonin against this monster...this beast...this demon, Naganobu. Kakashi looked at Naganobu. He stood there as if nothing had happened to him yet.

"My blades scream for the taste of blood..." Naganobu said with a sick grin. He pointed one of his blades at Kakashi. "You shall quinch their thirst for it..."

"We'll see about that..." Kakashi said as his body disappeared.

Raven's eyes grew wide. "He vanished!"

Naganobu looked up as Kakashi reappeared right above him. Kakashi swung the sabre at Naganobu and a white blade of chakra lashed out at him. Naganobu's eyes grew wide as he blocked it, but stumbled back. "That chakra...it must be from that sword..."

Kakashi landed and looked at him. "My father instilled a part of his soul in this blade. It amplifies my chakra when I release it into the blade." Kakashi pointed the blade at him. "I shall bring ease to the burden you place on Konoha."

Naganobu grined once more. "Then I'll just end your life quickly..." He said with a chuckle as he disappeared. He reappeared with 3 other kage bushins around Kakashi and rushed in at him. They chopped him into 8 pieces, but thoses pieces disappeared. "Kage Bushin..." Naganobu's bushins disappeared after being tattered with shurikens from Kakashi who was in the air above them. Naganobu blocked the ones aimed at him with ease. He sent some of his own back at Kakashi.

Kakashi blocked the shurikens with ease, but looked down at Naganobu who was forming the Tori _(Bird)_ seal. "Tori?" Kakashi was too busy blocking the shurikens to pick up the seals.

"Doton: Doryu Taiga! _(Earth Release: Earth River Flow)_" Naganobu chanted as the ground beneth where Kakashi is about to land turns into a river of deep mud. Kakashi lands it in and is stuck.

"Not good..." Kakashi looks around for a way out and looks at Naganobu.

"Burn..." Naganobu formed the Uma _(Horse),_ Ryu _(Dragon),_ and Tora _(Tiger)_ seals. "Katon: Karyu Endan! _(Fire Release: Fire Dragon Flame Bullet)_" He chanted as a ultra powerful stream of fire shot from his mouth at Kakashi. Kakashi looked at the flame as it came at him. He was engulfed in the fire. Naganobu stoped and looked at the damage he had done. "...Eh?" He looked closely and saw a dried mud figure of Kakashi. "Hiru Bansho: Boka no Jutsu..._(Leech All Creation: Attack Prevention Technique)_" He said to himself as he looked around, but he looked down and saw hands grabbing his ankles. He looked back up to see kage bushins of Kakashi in the air with sabres ready to kill. Naganobu blocked and counter killed all the bushins and stabbed his hand into the ground grabbing Kakashi by the hair and forcefully pulled him out of the ground, but Kakashi was holding 6 exploding tags. "Damn!" Naganobu quickly made the Saru _(Monkey),_ Ousu-buta _(Boar),_ and Tori _(Bird)_ Seals. "Futon:Daitoppa! _(Wind Release: Great Breakthrough)_" He chanted quickly and a great concentrated gust of wind hit Kakashi sending him back with the tags and he exploded, leveling 3 buildings. "Damn bushins...Enough of your games Hatake..." Naganobu closes his eyes and concentrated on the surroundings.

Kakashi was underground resting. He was getting low on chakra from the jutsu's he was using and avoiding. On top of that, his Sharingan was draining him slowly, but surely. _"He's powerful..."_ Kakashi thought to himself. _"I still have enough for one last attack..."_

Naganobu tried to feel out where Kakashi was. He knew that he was close, but Kakashi didn't reveal anything. He looked behind him to see 5 Kakashi bushin rushing at him. "I grow tired of your tidious tricks Hatake!" He turned to the bushins, but looked back when he heard birds...

Kakashi busted upwards and at Naganobu from the ground. His hand glowing from the Chidori. His eyes were filled with determination to kill Naganobu. "CHIDORI!" Kakashi yelled as he thrusted at Naganobu. What happened right then shocked everyone that was watching the battle. Naganobu blocked the attack with only his hand. Kakashi's eyes grew wide. "I-impossible!"

"Believe it..." Naganobu said with a sick grin. He grabbed Kakashi's hand and left him wide open. He sent accurate shots to some key points on Kakashi's solarplexus and sent him backwards with a palm thrust to the chest.

Kakashi slid back on his feet, but finally fell back into a roll and came to a stop on his face. He slowly pushed himself up to all fours with the bit of strength he had left.

"If that was a deperastion attack...it was one of the worse. An incomplete jutsu..." He peered at Kakashi. "Gathering a large amount of chakra to make a spear? You have to be pin-point percise to land that attack on anyone. My defense is unbeatable..."

Kakashi tried to stand, but felt a incredible pain rush through his body and put him to the ground once more. He pulled down his mask and spat up large amounts of blood. "W-w-what...is this...?" He asked as he spat up more blood.

"I opened up some of your arterys to your stomach...you should feel the blood filling your stomach now." Naganobu laughed. "You won't die..." He began to walk toward Kakashi with a evil grin. "No...not by that attack you will...I wanted you to suffer before you die. Better yet...if you can muster the strength to do this...I want you to beg for forgiveness." Naganobu was suprised to see a woman step in front of Kakashi.

It was Shizune. She wasn't going to let Kakashi die, not before her at least. "You bastard!" She pulled up her sleeve to revel a Shikomishindan _(Prepared Needle Shot)._ She fired the needles at Naganobu, but he knocked them away with ease. She spun around and sent 6 kunai at him, but those were blocked with ease. Naganobu sent a kunai of his own into the lower abdomine of Shizune. "Ahhhh!" She screamed in pain as she fell to the ground next to Kakashi. It was deep...very deep. She was pretty drained from trying to heal everyone that was injured already. She looked over at Kakashi. "Kakashi...I'm sorry...Ahhh...I..." Tears came to her eyes. "I couldn't...save...you..." She felt Kakashi's hand on her cheek.

"There is no where better that I would like to spend the last moments of my life, then here with you." He looked into her teary eyes. "I love you Shizune..."

Naganobu was towering over them with his blades ready. He looked down on them with a look of death in his eyes.

"I love you too...Kakashi..." Shizune wimpered out. She knew this was it, but she wasn't afraid. As long as Kakashi was by her side, she would never be afraid.

Naganobu raised his blades, but he stumbled back a good distance from a force that nailed in him in the face. He was shook up alittle from the blow. "Ahh..." He looked and would have been pissed off if he saw another ninja, but he saw a blonde haired kid. "Kid...you got a lucky one in there..." He rubbed his jaw. "I was too busy enjoying the moment there..."

Kakashi looked up. He felt a sense of joy and he was proud at what he saw. It was Naruto, standing tall against this demon. "Naruto..." He would tell him to run. Run away and live, but he knew that Naruto would never run. He would never take back his words or actions, because that is his way of the ninja.

"Don't worry Kakashi-sensei...everything will be ok." Naruto didn't take his eyes off of Naganobu. Naruto wasn't scared even though he saw Konoha's best be taken out. "You may have beaten Konoha's best ninjas Naganobu...But you haven't beaten the best of them all!"

"Oh...? And who might that be?" Naganobu said as he looked around.

"Me..." Naruto wasn't playing games anymore. He was dead serious and ready to battle to the death with this demon. "Future Hokage of Konoha! Uzumaki Naruto!"

"You?" Naganobu laughed. "A little runt like you should be at home with mommy..." He grinned. "I'd kill in my sleep boy...Now run along. I'm going to burn down this village and build my own legacy here on the ashes of Konoha."

"Over my dead body. I would rather die in the worst way possible, than to see this village burn." Naruto looked over at a figure that stepped up next to him and smiled.

"I second that Naruto..." Raven said. "I will not stand by and watch you kill anymore Naganobu. It's time to put a stop to your evil ways and cleanse this world of your existance once and for all."

"You've got alot of lip for a boy whose country lives in fear." A sick smile crept onto Naganobu's face. "After I'm done with you Raven...I'm going to find your sister...and kill her slowly. I want to hear the little girl scream. Then after that...I'll burn your home with everyone you know there!"

"You..." Raven gript his swords. "BASTARD!" He took off at Naganobu with hatred in his eyes. He swung wildly at him, but Naganobu blocked the swords with ease.

Naganobu was about to strike back until he felt someone grab him from behind. He looked and it was Naruto. "Damn kid!" He looked back at Raven who was about to strike again. Naganobu pulled Naruto off his back and in front of the blade. It cut right through Naruto, but he disappeared. "Kage Bushin..." More of Naruto's Bushin's came at Naganobu. He blocked countless attacks that came from all around him. _"This kid isn't organizing his attacks...he's just attacking...Ahh..."_ Naganobu thought to himself. He grabbed one of the many Naruto's and sent him flying into Raven. Raven flew back and landed on his back as the Naruto disappeared.

The real Naruto run up next to Raven. "More..." He made his Bushin Seal. "Taju Kage Bushin no Jutsu! _(Multiple Shadow Clone Technique)_" 1,500 Narutos appeared behind the real one.

Raven sat up and looked back. He couldn't believe his eyes at the amount of bushins Naruto produced. _"Any normal Ninja would be dead after making this many!"_ He looked at Naruto and saw that it didn't affect Naruto one bit. _"He's amazing..." _

Naruto pointed at Naganobu. "ATTACK!" The Naruto's responded in a battle cry as they rushed at him.

Naganobu looked at the mass of Naruto's. "T-this kid!" He was shocked to see so many bushins. "He's good...Looks like I underestimated him..." Naganobu prepared himself for a jutsu he hasn't used in decades. "It's been awhile...but to deal with this many I must..." He formed all the hand seals and ended with the Ryu _(Dragon)_ "Sukkari Butai Kaihou: Tenrai Sabaki! _(All Element Release: Divine Verdict)_" He chanted as he gathered a large amount of chakra. A tsunami crashed over the Narutos and left them stuck in mud that formed under them. A firey tornado formed and went over them, taking out any survivors. Lightning nailed any other bushins that were out of range of both attacks. Naganobu was starting to breathe heavy now. "Damn...that took more out of me than I thought it would..." He looked behind him and his eyes grew wide at what he saw. Naruto just got finished forming his Rasengan. "The Rasengan? But how can a kid like him use it?" Naganobu really underestimated Naruto, but felt another power gathering behind him. Raven was just finished forming another verison of the Rasengan. Raven's sphere was black insted of blue. It isn't as powerful as Naruto's but it will do near the damage as the Rasengan. "Kageken?" Naruto and Raven rushed at him from each side. Naganobu was in trouble. He put his hands out as the attacks were thrusted at him and he tried to match the level of chakra coming from both of them. "Ahhh..." Naruto and Raven were putting their all into the attacks, but Naganobu thrusted a wave of chakra out at them and sent them flying back. Naganobu fell to one knee, he was getting tired, plus his chakra was below half way now.

Naruto landed and slid 15 meters. He looked up at Naganobu. "Ahhh...he's so powerful..."

Raven landed and slid 10 meters. He looked up as well at Naganobu. "What...can stop him?"

Naganobu took deep breathes, but was forced to his feet from a devestating uppercut to his chin. "AHH!" His head was back and he was sent backwards 20 meters from a killer haymaker to his chin once more. He rolled and caught himself. "Damn..." He looked up to find another ninja...

It was Sakura. She was all game after watching what happened to everybody. "You will not harm the ones I love Naganobu..." She rushed at him again and sent countless punches at him.

Naganobu blocked the attacks, but felt pain with each block. _"This girl has the power of...Tsundae..."_ He thought before he took another head jarring shot that made him reel back. He caught his footing once more. "Such power..." Sakura rushed in again swinging for the fences, but Naganobu caught Sakura in her hip deep with one of his blades.

Sakura yelped in pain. She fell back onto the ground, favoring her bleeding hip. She was hurled back 8 meters from a vicious kick to her gut from Naganobu. "AHH!" She doubled over in pain. She was pulled up to her knees by her hair from him.

"Nighty night...Bitch..." He said before he sent her flying once more with a kick to her head. He watched with joy as she landed with a sickening thud. He walked over to her once more and grabbed her pink hair. He looked at her and chuckled evily, but looked up when he felt a strong chakra. Before he knew anything, he had hit the wall of a building. He fell on his face and pushed himself up and saw Naruto.

Naruto's eyes were red and so was the chakra whipping around him. He had 2 tails behind him and death fixed into his eyes.

Naganobu blinked and Naruto was right in front of him. "Da-!" Before he could even say anything, Naruto sent a kick to his jaw that pulled him up into the air. Naruto followed up with a right haymaker to Naganobu's stomach that sent him back into the wall and cracking it. He spat up blood, but fought off the pain. He retaliated with a kick to Naruto's face that sent him back, but Naruto recovered quicky and a 3rd tail formed as he screamed. "This isn't his power...It's the Kyubi's..." For the first time in a long time...Naganobu was frightened. "I have to seal that power...This may put me on fumes with chakra..." Naganobu's fingers lit up. "...but it's better than being rip to shreds by that..." Naruto rushed at him again and lept at him, but was caught in the stomach by the attack. "Gogyo Fuin! _(Five Elements Seal)_" He yelled as Naruto flew backwards.

Naruto hit the ground hard and rolled. His chakra died quickly and he returned to normal. He was drained from tapping into the Kyubi's power. He slowly pushed him self to his feet.

Naganobu was exhuasted from this epic battle. "Time...to end this..." Naganobu rushed at a defendless Naruto with his blades ready to kill. "Die!"

Naruto saw Naganobu rushing at him, but couldn't even put up a guard. "Damn...it..." He said, but his eyes grew wide when someone stepped in front of him to take the shot. "S-Sakura! NO!"

"Naruto!" She cried out with tears in her eyes. She closed her eyes and braced herself for the blade, but heard the sickening sound of metal through flesh. She opened her eyes to a sight that seemed to stab her heart deeply. "No..."

Naganobu's blades were impaling Raven through his back and out his stomach. He had jumped in the way to save Sakura.

"Raven..." Sakura cried out.

"Always protect the one you love dearly with your life..." Blood seeped from the sides of his mouth. "That is the silent promise I made to you...Sakura..." Raven ripped open his shirt, exposing hundreds of exploding notes pasted on his body.

"Raven?" Sakura looked at the notes in horror.

Raven just smiled. "I'm glad we met Sakura..." He snapped his fingers and one began to burn. "Take care of Naruto..." He put his hand out toward her and sent her and Naruto backwards with his chakra, away from him.

Naganobu's eyes grew wide. He couldn't do anything to escape.

"Raven!" Sakura cried out once last time, before a bright flash of light cut his smiling picture from her view and a huge explosion rocked the street. Dusk and smoke flew everywhere as Sakura covered her head from debris. She looked up and the smoke was thick where the explosion was. "No...no..." Tears were streaming from here eyes. She pounded on the ground, powerless to do anything. "Why...Why did he save me...? Why..." She felt Naruto's arms wrap around her. She leaned back into his body for comfort.

Naruto held her close. "He saved you...because he loved you Sakura...He loved you like I love you." Sakura turned around his arms and hugged him. It was over. It was finally over.

Naruto woke up to the sound of rain pelting his window. He looked outside from where he laid. It was raining. _"It always rains on days like these"_ He thought to himself. He rolled over to come face to face with Sakura. She looked like an angel while she slept. "Sakura..." He said in her ear gently.

Sakura's eyes slowly opened as Naruto looked back down at her. "Mmmm...morning..." She said with a smile.

"Good morning..." He replied with a smile of his own.

They both got up and got dressed in black. They left out the apartment and made their way through the rain to the funeral. It's been 2 days since the fighting ended and the village must shed tears and repair once more. Everyone was there to pay their respects. Every ninja Naruto saw, was injured in someway. Even Hinta was hurt pretty bad, seeing the gaze pad on the side of her head.

Tsundae stepped out and turned to everyone. "...These are the heros...of our great village Konoha. They died to protect us. Villagers and ninja alike. They were fathers and mothers...brothers and sisters...sons and daughters. They will be sorely missed, but they will never be forgetten. I would also like to give special honors to two of the truest heros among us here today. Musei Raven and Musei Kage, from the Hidden Shadow." She looked at Kage who was trying her best to keep a straight face, but tears poured from her eyes. "Kage...you and your brother fought with all your might against some of thee most strongest enemies we have encountered. You and the Hidden Shadow are welcome to the Hidden Leaf when ever. We are in your debt..." Tsundae bowed to Kage and so did the rest of the village.

"Thank you...Hokage-sama...it is an honor..." Kage replied.

Everyone placed roses onto the monument pictures of loved ones. Kage looked at her brothers with tears of sorrow in her eyes. Naruto and Sakura walked up. "Hey..." Naruto said.

Kage looked back. "Hi Naruto..." She hugged him and then hugged Sakura.

"So...your leaving back to the Shadow after this?" Sakura asked.

Kage sighed deeply. "Yeah...My mission is over..." She looked at them. "But I'll be back to visit."

Naruto and Sakura smiled.

The service let out and Naruto and Sakura walked Kage to the gates of the village.

Naruto looked down. "I hate goodbyes..."

Kage smiled. "Well don't consider it a goodbye Naruto." Naruto looked at her. "Think of it as...a 'see you later'"

Naruto smiled. "Right." He hugged her one last time.

Sakura hugged her as well. "Ohhh...be safe on your way back."

"I will." She turned and began to walk off. "I'll be back!" She yelled.

"You better!" Naruto and Sakura said at the same time as they waved. Kage disappeared from their sight and they looked at eachother. Sakura leaned in and kissed Naruto. Naruto wasn't ready, but fell right into play with it as they wrapped their arms around each other. They turned and walked back into the village holding hands as the grey skys cleared up to show a bright blue beautiful sky.


	24. FAN'S NOTE: REVISING

To The Fans of The Silent Promise:

Raven here and with this chapter, I'm telling you that I'm revising the whole story to fix errors and add tid bits of insight. The Silent Promise is one of my first stories I ever wrote and I see many errors and noob writer mistakes. I tend to make them right and add a little spice to the story, so please check back every now and then for updates. Thank you all for the kind reviews and some for the not so kind reviews, lol and most importantly, thank you for reading and enjoying.


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